Tracing the absent. Hilma af Klint’s mystical language
Mónica Tierraseca
The Figurativeness of the Language of Mystical Experience 2021 DOI: 10.5817/cz.muni.p210-9997-2021-22 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Hilma af Klint's notebook Flowers, Mosses, and Lichens conveys a Christian, metaphysical, and anthroposophical message through its symbolic content. |
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.