Abstract:

Informative audio bibliography of female artist Hilma Af Klint. A brief retelling of

her bringing up, family, education, and artist training. This podcast also talks about

her pioneering abstract art and the influences that got her there. It also goes over

her place in expressionism and a description of her overall work.

Transcription:

Good afternoon, and this is Herstory where we talk about her story in History.

This podcast series focuses on women in history and their importance.

I'm Lillian Davis and this week’s podcast will be about the artist Hilma Af Klint.

Hilma Af Klint was born in Stockholm, Sweden on October 26th, 1862.

Her parents were Captain Victor Af Klint who was a Swedish naval commander

and her mother was Mathilda Af Klint.

Now I did look up how to pronounce these places in Sweden but I will apologize

now for my pronunciation of them and warn I shouldn’t be used as an example on

how to say them.

Shortly after her birth, her family moved to Nortullsgatan and then Bastugatan

which is currently known as Sveavägen in Stockholm.

When Hilma was ten, she went to the General School for Girls on Riddargatan in

Stockholm.

Later when she was eighteen, she enrolled in the University College of Arts crafts

and design in Stockholm which was formally known as The Technical School.

Here she studied portrait painting.

Later on, she attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts where she graduated with

honors and was rewarded a studio where she worked as a portraiture and landscape

artist professionally.

In the earlier stages of Hilma’s development as an artist, her work consisted of

portraits, botanical work, and landscapes.

In 1879 Hilma joined the spiritist movement, and later became a member of the

Spiritist Literature Association.

Sadly around this time in 1880, her little sister passed away which is what drew

Hilma deeper toward religious thought and into communication with the spirit

world.

After parting from this movement in 1882 Hilma joined the Theosophical Society

where she continued communicating with the spirit world.

Later on, Hilma joined a séance group called De Fem, The Five, Or the Friday

group.
Here she created automatic drawings, through communicating and collaborating

with the spirit world. Here is where her style became more abstract.

Now “In terms of form, scholars and curators alike most often discuss her spiritual

works in relation to Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944)

In the canon, Kandinsky has assumed the position of both the father of abstract

painting and the progenitor of the spiritual in modern art,”(Leon).

But this narrative is wrong. Because Hilma’s nonobjective style predates

Kandinsky’s by several years.

And sadly, in some instances, Hilma “…is omitted altogether as a pioneer of

abstraction based on her absence from avant-garde social networks.” (Leon).

But let it be known that Hilma was the founder of nonobjective art.

Or art that doesn’t represent actual objects or people.

Although Kandinsky is popularly known as the leader of abstract art because he

publicly drove the abstract expressionist movement but it’s important to note that

Hilma was the originator of this kind of art.

And that she influenced the expressionist movement along with various artists

from previous years and movements.

Creating this new concept of incorporating emotion, and thought separate from

reality to produce nonobjective art.

This expressionist movement roughly began in 1905 and lasted till 1920 in Europe.
Furthermore, these artists were influenced differently.

Because Hilma wasn’t trying to be abstract, her art meant more than that.

The Author of “Hilma Af Klint at the Guggenheim.” describes how “She fashioned

her pictures, in effect, under the prompting of an otherworldly spirit.” (Sanford).

Not only did she collab and communicate with spirits to complete these paintings

she weaved visual ideas and meanings into her art.

If you look at the mass of her paintings, you will notice repeated markings and

patterns within them. And this was no accident.

Hilma would create meanings and poems in her art visually through symbols that

she would record in her journal with keys to be able to understand the poetry she

embedded in her paintings.

Personally, when I look through her paintings, they feel cohesive with each other.

That although all of them differ in their unique way they evoke a sense of

similarity with each other.

Specifically, from painting to painting the colors have a unified look that although

the colors can be completely different, they share a similar feeling of wholeness.

Additionally, when viewing her art the pieces feel filling, complete, and satisfying.

That although each of her paintings may look random and non-objective you can

tell that her techniques were on purpose and the composition was well planned

along with each line and color.

Now Hilma didn’t strive to be an exhibitor though she did display some of her

work in the early 20th century.

This wasn’t because she thought she wasn’t great enough or that her work wasn’t

ready for the world.

Before Hilma passed away she requested that over “1000 piece oeuvre remain

hidden from public view for an additional twenty years after her

death.”(Midavaine). Including her journals, drawings, and many paintings.

Because she knew the world wasn’t ready for her.

I thought that this story of hers was empowering and patient.

Because she wasn’t compelled to make art for those around her.

That she knew how great of an artist she was but didn’t feel the need to force

others to like it or search for those who would appreciate it.

That she was patient enough to let the world around her age, mature, and enrich

itself with her art and wealth of knowledge literally and spiritually.

I enjoyed that what she painted was important to her and wasn’t created for fame

or money.

I felt that this was important to share with others and to serve as a personal

reminder to not feel forced to do what society expects or demands from us.

At the end of the day, I am aware of my accomplishments and who I am as a

person.
And that I don’t need to batter myself with criticism to be acknowledged or

accepted by the world.

Hilma Af Klint was a pioneer of her art kind, and an amazing female artist whom I

think is someone important to remember.

Now I hope you enjoyed this episode of herstory and take a moment to like and

subscribe. Go out and have a great day.

Works Cited

Know the Artist: Hilma Af Klint. Performance by Rachel Gould, 2018.

Leon, Emily Virginia. "Analyzing the Crisis of Hilma af Klint: The Digital and Analog Analysis

of Spirituality." Academia, 2018,

desertsuprematism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Leon_AfKlint_Thesis_FINAL.pdf.

Accessed 30 Mar. 2022.

Midavaine, Bree. "Hilma Af Klint: The Medium of Abstraction." Academia, academia

publishing, Feb. 2015,

d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/44891653/Midavaine_Bree_fFA14-with-cover-page-

v2.pdf?Expires=1648677576&Signature=JwkfcukGfwSJEubU5fxvyMVX5cViawuk3-

LPNFP8MAlx1bJnq5dg1KrGt009NZumYdH3QYcYa-

IPyg9uZEQVqcp0StmsIVbh7TdI7Pcn8AA5DPKLhbTXk9VWQgD76UVZFtYEOEv~

WVuY1FqRVJrLHgvqXp84TdEqGL8QBUYKBb2F4STrWNGxbOkcTboJaWIcPsdeEu

Cj4SUzh2QOffe9e1WWt9p~8DHa52zv8HWwEE27W18Kn-zbo-mESwbvBZcP-
 a9P2A0FItUtc61jVG9JB8CD~KjMRGtEoYdVUs7MTkASfUS6-

V4EAYPqWszIp8q9Cbna7jX0lsDfzxbqLx-wSQ__&Key-Pair-

Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA. Accessed 30 Mar. 2022.

SCHWARTZ, SANFORD. "Hilma Af Klint at the Guggenheim." Raritan, vol. 38, no. 4, Spring

2019, pp. 79–92. EBSCOhost,

https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.morningside.edu/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=f5h&AN=136619923&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Winquist, Camilla, producer. Hilma Af Klint - a Brief History of Female Artists. 2020.