Hilma af Klint, born on October 26, 1862, in Solna, Sweden, is often hailed as a pioneer of abstract art. Coming from a wealthy family and the daughter of a naval officer, she began her artistic career in naturalism. Educated in Stockholm, she initially produced portraits and landscapes to support herself. However, at the age of 44, she made a radical shift in her work, moving away from conventions to dive into an avant-garde abstract style, making her an overlooked yet revolutionary artist.
Influenced by her involvement in a Theosophical society, Hilma af Klint's abstract work explores spiritual subjects. She aimed to capture the invisible and the human psyche through abstract forms and colors. Despite her significant contribution to abstract art, which preceded artists like Kandinsky or Mondrian, her works did not resonate with the public during her lifetime. She went as far as stipulating that her creations (around 1,000 works) should be kept secret for at least twenty years after her death.
Hilma af Klint passed away on October 21, 1944, in Djursholm, Sweden. It was only in the 1980s, thanks to the efforts of her grandson and heir Erik af Klint, that her works were finally discovered by art historians and theologians. Today, she is finally receiving the recognition she deserves, with exhibitions in Sweden, Venice, and New York, as well as a documentary film recounting her extraordinary life.
