Hilma's Ghost Collective Builds Feminist Esoteric Practice Through Workshops and Public Art
Founded by Dannielle Tegeder and Sharmistha Ray following the 2018 Hilma af Klint retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum, the feminist artist collective Hilma's Ghost emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tegeder, a faculty member at CUNY's Lehman College, and Ray, who teaches at Carnegie Mellon University, delve into themes of mortality and alternative spiritualities. They offer workshops focused on esoteric practices and introduced 'Abstract Futures Tarot' at the Armory Show in 2021. In 2025, a mosaic inspired by the tarot deck was commissioned by MTA Arts and Design and installed at Grand Central Station. The collective also conducts workshops across the nation and showcases exhibitions in Mexico City and at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson, celebrating marginalized artists.
Key facts
- Hilma's Ghost was founded by artists Dannielle Tegeder and Sharmistha Ray.
- The collective originated from the 2018 Hilma af Klint retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum in New York.
- Their first major project, 'Abstract Futures Tarot,' debuted at the 2021 Armory Show.
- A 600-square-foot glass tile mosaic based on the tarot deck was installed at Grand Central Station in 2025.
- The collective hosts workshops on esoteric practices like tarot, witchcraft, and spellcasting.
- Tegeder teaches at City University of New York's Lehman College, and Ray teaches at Carnegie Mellon University.
- Hilma's Ghost has presented activations at the Guggenheim Museum and the Olana State Historic Site.
- The collective has an ongoing exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson through September.
Entities
Artists
- Hilma af Klint
- Dannielle Tegeder
- Sharmistha Ray
- Pamela Colman Smith
- Lady Freida Harris
- Leonora Carrington
- Ithell Colquhoun
- Stephen Miotto
- Carly Ann Faye
- Sarah Van Buren
- Whitney Browne
- Etienne Frossard
- Hilla von Rebay
Institutions
- Guggenheim Museum
- Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts
- City University of New York
- Lehman College
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Counterpublic
- American Folk Art Museum
- The Shaker Museum
- Carrie Secrist Gallery
- The Armory Show
- Secrist|Beach
- MTA Arts and Design
- Grand Central Station
- Olana State Historic Site
- Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson
- Galeria RGR
- Hyperallergic
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Manhattan
- St. Louis
- Missouri
- Pittsburgh
- Brooklyn
- Hudson
- Mexico City
- Tucson
- Sweden