Swedish Ecstasy at Bozar Explores Occultism's Role in Avant-Garde Art
The exhibition 'Swedish Ecstasy' at Bozar in Brussels brings together historical and contemporary artists of Swedish origin or residence, highlighting how occultism catalyzed avant-garde art. It features Hilma af Klint's 'Paintings for the Temple' (1906–15), exhibited for the first time in Belgium, alongside works by Anna Cassel, whose diagrammatic paintings from 1913 draw on Anthroposophical and Rosicrucian symbolism. August Strindberg's impressionistic landscapes and 'celestographs' from the 1890s are displayed, informed by Swedenborgian doctrine. Emanuel Swedenborg's early-18th-century manuscripts are also included. Contemporary works by Lars Olof Loeld, Christine Ödlund, and Cecilia Edefalk engage with esoteric traditions. The show runs through 21 May.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Swedish Ecstasy' at Bozar, Brussels, through 21 May
- First time Hilma af Klint exhibited in Belgium
- Includes works by Anna Cassel, August Strindberg, Lars Olof Loeld, Christine Ödlund, Cecilia Edefalk
- Features Hilma af Klint's 'Paintings for the Temple' (1906–15)
- Anna Cassel's paintings from April 1913 use Anthroposophical and Rosicrucian symbolism
- August Strindberg's 'celestographs' created by exposing photographic plates to night sky in mid-1890s
- Emanuel Swedenborg's early-18th-century manuscripts on display
- Contemporary works include Loeld's 'Sub Rosa' (2007–16), Ödlund's 'Psychedelic Botanist Series' (2022), Edefalk's 'White Within' (1997–2008)
Entities
Artists
- Hilma af Klint
- Anna Cassel
- August Strindberg
- Carsten Höller
- Lars Olof Loeld
- Christine Ödlund
- Cecilia Edefalk
- Piet Mondrian
- Emanuel Swedenborg
Institutions
- Bozar
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Locations
- Brussels
- Belgium
- Sweden
- Los Angeles
- United States