✹ Hilma Af Klint at Tate Modern
30th April 2023
I visited the Hilma af Klint exhibition at Tate Modern today, which features works by Hilma af Klint and Piet Mondrian, showcasing the evolution of their art from realism to abstraction. I was eagerly anticipating this exhibition, having waited patiently since last year, and even studied an art book of Hilma's work, learning about her ideas and her story.
As a visual person, I'm attracted to artwork primarily through what I see. I love the color choices that Hilma used and, more importantly, the symbols and patterns that appear in all of her works. Once I learned about her story, I loved them even more. Hilma af Klint is considered one of the first abstract artists in Western art history. Despite this, she never revealed her series of pure abstract art to the public during her lifetime, as she believed they were too far ahead of their time. Instead, she made a living through landscape painting, which was well-paid and earned her recognition as an artist.
Hilma got the idea for her symbols and abstract forms from her spiritual practices. In her journals, she described how they appeared to her in dreams or during rituals, as messages from the high master. This idea is one of the cores of the New Thought movement, which originated in the 19th century and has since resurfaced in popular culture. Her works were unrecognized for a long time until recently, which I think is related to the wave of New Thought movement.
I love the pastel colors and organic lines of the spirals and symbols, which seem to hint at keywords, as if the high master is communicating something to us through her work. Her art was also influenced by the introduction of science and the microscope, which led to the abstract shapes and forms of cell organisms. The concepts of revolution, universe, and life are also touched upon, and they are central to my own work. The final room features the ten largest paintings, which moved me deeply. I had never seen paintings of this size before, and they were from my favorite artist. I spent a lot of time in that room.
Seeing Hilma af Klint's paintings in person was truly inspiring. Nothing compares to the details and brush strokes, color pigments, and canvas that you can see with your own eyes. I really enjoyed this exhibition and hope to explore more of her ideas to develop my own.
