Tracing the absent. Hilma af Klint’s mystical language
The Figurativeness of the Language of Mystical Experience January 1, 2021 DOI: 10.5817/cz.muni.p210-9997-2021-22
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe paper examines the mysticism of Swedish artist Hilma af Klint (1862–1944), focusing on her religious experiences and existential search through contact with divine entities. While the identities of these figures remain unclear, they show familiarity with Christian beliefs. The authors analyze af Klint's notebooks, especially one from 1919–1920 titled Flowers, Mosses, and Lichens, to explore her Christian, metaphysical, and anthroposophical message through its symbolic content.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Af Klint's notebook Flowers, Mosses, and Lichens conveys a Christian, metaphysical, and anthroposophical message through its symbolic aspects. |
Abstract
The main aim of this paper is to study the mysticism of the Swedish artist Hilma af Klint (1862–1944) in relation to her religious experience and her searching for existential answers through contact with divine entities. Although the identity of these figures is not clear, we are aware of their familiarity with Christian beliefs. Thus, in this paper we attempt to approach Af Klint’s Christian, metaphysical and anthroposophical message by analysing her notebooks. Particularly, we focus on the symbolic aspect of one of them made between 1919 and 1920, entitled Flowers, Mosses, and Lichens.