Hilma af Klint's Spiritual Abstraction at Serpentine Gallery Sparks Contemporary Artist Responses
The Serpentine Gallery in London presented 'Hilma af Klint: Painting the Unseen' until May 15, 2016, highlighting the abstract creations of the Swedish artist who was ahead of modernism. Hilma af Klint, born in 1862 and deceased in 1944, created over 1,200 pieces, insisting on a 20-year concealment after her death. Among her notable works is 'The Paintings for the Temple,' comprising 193 pieces produced between 1906 and 1915, inspired by spiritual visions. Although her art predates many famous artists, it remained largely unrecognized until her first significant exhibition in 1986. The 2013 show 'Pioneer of Abstraction' underscored her importance. Her estate was inherited by her nephew Erik af Klint and subsequently by his son Johan.
Key facts
- Hilma af Klint's exhibition 'Painting the Unseen' ran at Serpentine Gallery in London until May 15, 2016
- Af Klint created 1,200 paintings and stipulated they remain secret for 20 years after her 1944 death
- Her series 'The Paintings for the Temple' includes 193 abstract works made between 1906 and 1915
- Af Klint's work predates Kandinsky, Malevich, Mondrian, and other abstraction pioneers by at least a decade
- Her first major exhibition was in 1986 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- Moderna Museet in Stockholm mounted a 2013 retrospective titled 'Pioneer of Abstraction'
- Af Klint was influenced by Theosophy, Madame Blavatsky, and Rudolf Steiner's anthroposophy
- Contemporary artists Suzan Frecon, Fredrik Söderberg, and Agnieszka Brzeżańska cite her influence
Entities
Artists
- Hilma af Klint
- Kandinsky
- Malevich
- Miró
- Mondrian
- Robert Delaunay
- Sonia Delaunay
- Klee
- Madame Blavatsky
- Rudolf Steiner
- Erik af Klint
- Johan af Klint
- Suzan Frecon
- Fredrik Söderberg
- Agnieszka Brzeżańska
- Ansel Krut
- Willem de Kooning
Institutions
- Serpentine Gallery
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- Camden Art Centre
- Centre Pompidou
- PS1
- The Drawing Center
- MoMA
- Moderna Museet
- The Five
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Stockholm
- Sweden
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Paris
- France
- New York