I Went To A Museum (...again)

I did not know what to expect when I entered the Guggenheim museum for the first time ever. However, upon entering, the first thing I see is a spiral walkway and security stopping me because the metal scanner kept going off. I completely forgot about the metal screws inside my hand and knees. Besides that, it was a complete surprise to see the architecture inside.  As I made my way up the walkway, I was trying to figure out where this “Hilma af Klint, Paintings for the Future” exhibition was located. Little did I know, it was everywhere on the outer side of the spiral walkway. 

Moving forward, the abstract pieces were in a way moving. There were a handful of pieces such as “The Ten Largest” which spoke out to me. Pieces such as No. 7, Adulthood (1907), showed complexity and progression all at the same time. By complexity, the different shapes and colors are similar, however, some are spread out, while some are overlapping. There are also some which are fully shaped, while some are lines. This does lead me into another point in this piece. The piece also show progression. As af Klint was also influenced by Darwinism, the ideology of evolving could be playing a big role in this piece. I believe that this piece is also about progressing because of the changing in lines into shapes. As the idea of evolving is about adapting to survive, af Klint’s piece on “adulthood” could formally be calling progressing as evolving. 

Growing up Catholic, it was embedded that the reason Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden because they ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge. Having eaten the fruit, they were able to have similar knowledge as God. Hilma af Klint created “Tree of Knowledge.” A very abstract representation of the biblical story. Hilma af Klint was known to be influenced by the philosophy of Theosophy. (Theosophy, the obtaining similar knowledge of God through spiritual ecstasy.) To me, being Catholic, I see the creation differently. What I see is the heavens and the Earth connected. I see the roots of the Earth giving life to the heavens. 

Theological understanding and teachings indicate that life after death continues in heaven. Therefore, I see this piece as the roots is our journey to give life to heaven. 

My ABSOLUTE favorite piece from the exhibition would be Altarpiece no. 2. With the understanding of levels and an energized orb, this piece is the most complex piece I have seen from her. The energizing orb is sitting at the topmost platform of the levels. The bottom of the painting is an upside down triangle. This could indicate that we are observing this from the top of altar, looking down. We ARE the energizing orb. I saw this piece is my own light. Art is all interbred differently. This piece moved me deeply. It brought my to the top of spiritual levels and it showed me that it is a long way down from here.  

Although I went by myself, I throughly enjoyed this experience. I gained a deep appreciation to abstract art.