Hilma af Klint's Legacy Shines in Paris Exhibition
The Swedish artist Hilma af Klint, who died in 1944 believing the world was unprepared for her mystical paintings, is now receiving her first solo exhibition in France. This event, organised by the Grand Palais and the Pompidou Centre, aims to rectify her long-standing exclusion from the annals of abstract art history.
A Pioneer Overlooked for Decades
Af Klint, born in 1862, was one of the first women admitted to Stockholm's Royal Academy of Fine Arts. She trained as a classical painter but produced her most groundbreaking work as part of a spiritual women's group called "the Five," influenced by Theosophy. Despite creating abstract pieces decades before male artists like Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian, her contributions were largely ignored.
Curator Pascal Rousseau emphasised that the exhibition is part of an international re-evaluation of af Klint's work and the role of women in modern art. "This exhibition highlights the many sources of inspiration in her work and questions how art history has long overlooked women artists," he stated.
Spiritual Visions and Secrecy
Af Klint believed she was directed by higher spirits, incorporating angels, reincarnation, and messages from other worlds into her art. She kept these spiritual paintings private, convinced that the world would not understand their secret codes. After peers rejected her work, including philosopher Rudolf Steiner in 1908, she ordered that her over 1,200 paintings and 126 sketchbooks remain sealed for 20 years after her death and never be sold.
Professor Caroline Levisse noted that af Klint felt above earthly concerns, preferring her art to be displayed in a temple rather than a museum. "I think her attitude was: this is art for the future and people will get it eventually," Levisse explained.
Recognition and Impact
Af Klint's work was not widely exhibited until 1986 in Los Angeles, and she gained international attention only after a sellout 2013 exhibition in Stockholm. Even then, institutions like MoMa in New York excluded her from abstract art shows as late as 2010. Today, her legacy is being reassessed, with a 2022 biography and an Oscar-nominated film bringing her story to light.
The Paris exhibition features her magnum opus, Paintings for the Temple, including the fragile series The Ten Largest, each measuring around 3.3 by 2.4 metres. Rousseau warned that this might be the last chance to see these works before restoration.
Rethinking Art History
This exhibition forces a reconsideration of abstract art's origins, acknowledging af Klint as a true pioneer. Her experimental and innovative approach challenges traditional narratives, underscoring the need to include women's contributions in art historical discourse.
