Her work overturned the chronology of modern art. For the first time in France, discover the visionary world of Hilma af Klint (1862-1944), a pioneer of abstraction who long remained in the shadows. From her large-scale compositions to her secret works, her art blends colors, forms, and symbols with fascinating boldness.
Trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm, Hilma af Klint led a double artistic life: a figurative practice aligned with the expectations of her time; and, in secret, a radically avant-garde body of work inspired by Theosophy and spiritualism, exploring cosmic harmony and invisible forces. From 1906 onward, well before Kandinsky or Malevitch, she created bold compositions in which vivid colors, geometric forms, and organic motifs foreshadowed the major movements of modern art. Spirals, circles, and beams reveal complete creative freedom and give her paintings a universal, timeless dimension. For this occasion, the Grand Palais and the Centre Pompidou present her masterpiece: the Paintings for the Temple cycle (1906‑1915), including the monumental series The Ten Largest. The exhibition also highlights the many sources of her inspiration (esotericism, folk art, scientific culture) and examines the long-overlooked role of women in the history of modern art. As the first monographic exhibition devoted to her in France, the event also reveals an extraordinary life. Hilma af Klint chose to keep her abstract works hidden, arranging for them to remain sealed for twenty years after her death. It was not until 1986, with the exhibition The Spiritual in Art in Los Angeles, that her work was finally unveiled to the public. A rare opportunity to discover an artist who was ahead of her time and transcended the boundaries between art, science, and spirituality.
Admission: From 0 to 15 euros.
Source: paris.fr — photo: The Moderna Museet, Stockholm