The Secret & The Sacred: The Art of Hilma af Klint

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

Last week I gave the second presentation of my current lecture series – The Artist as Alchemist: Spirituality, Science & Magic in Art – via Zoom to yet another group of delightfully curious participants. In fact, they seemed to be really intrigued by this artist’s unexpected artwork. This did not surprise me one bit because the life of Swedish artist Hilma af Klint is a fascinating one that needs to be discussed more regularly, especially regarding her contributions to Modern Art.

Hilma af Klint lived from 1862 – 1944

When I think of Hilma af Klint, I am reminded of the famous quote from Laurel Thatcher Ulrich in which she so astutely stated, “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” The thing is… on paper Hilma af Klint was a well-behaved woman!

The artwork she shared with the public was exceptional in technique and rooted in the realism she was taught at the Royal Academy. She made money as an artist and accepted commissions. She never married or had children, but she was devoted to her friends (known as The Five) and her ailing mother, who went blind and for whom she cared until the end of her life.

“Spring Landscape – Scene from the Bay of Lomma,” 1892

Honestly, all that sounds like a rather “well-behaved” lady of the late 1800’s/early 1900’s.

What happened after she passed away is the real shocker. Over a thousand artworks completed in an abstract and non-representational style were revealed along with hundreds of notebooks explaining their extremely spiritual nature. These paintings and sketches were created by Hilma af Klint as a means of educating, encouraging and supporting the everyday human on their spiritual journey.

“#1 Altarpiece,” 1915

The more we learn about Hilma, the more we realize that while she may have presented a “well-behaved” persona to the world, her personal and creative lives were devoted to the unabashed and unapologetic search for the divine. Hilma used her artwork as a way to connect with higher powers that were beyond her physical state of being and channeled their guidance and direction into some of the most glorious and compelling artworks the world has ever seen.

Hilma af Klint was a total badass in her own right!

To celebrate such an a amazingly cool woman and artist, I’m dedicating this extra special #CovidClassic to her…

Left: Hilma af Klint in her studio, Stockholm, ca. 1895; Right: Adrienne H. Lee in her studio, Clermont, 2021

4 thoughts on “The Secret & The Sacred: The Art of Hilma af Klint”

  1. Fantastic lecture, as always. Hilma Af Klint is a fascinating study; a person who can’t easily be defined or understood, her work gives me a feeling of “awe.”

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment

The Wandering Art Historian's avatar
I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.