From the past to the future: Spiritualism and Art

From the past to the future: Spiritualism and Art

Hilma af Klint was born in Stockholm, Sweden 1862. She was an artist who created and influenced a branch of art by translating her spiritualism and theosophical views and beliefs into art. Although her art work did not see light of the day until twenty years after her passing in 1944. Her art work predicted the great changes and influences of the human mind and pursuit for understanding and creating spiritualism and abstractness.

 I always found that all of us are connected through our sub-consciousness, thus we are able to communicate and send messages with our art, the art that we create (indirectly or directly). In the case of Klint, her art work was not intended for the society in which she lived, she took into consideration how time would change and that her representation of spiritualism and connection with the earth and its geometry, as it is showcased and strongly hinted in her “Tree of Knowledge” a series of artworks that demonstrate trees and what seems to be amazing representations of otherworldly planes of existence within them.

Unlike Klint, no art work of mine has been made with the intention to present some kind of spiritual connection, although I do understand that the message that my art work would convey would be transmitted to some as comfortable or uncomfortable depending if the message was accepted by their subconscious. I would, however, create one in the future and use spiritualism to send a message, if my sub-consciousness hasn’t done it already without me realizing It.

Glancing over the previously observed readings such as the video “On Theosophy-Helena Blavatsky- Secret Teachings “, the author of “The mystery Tradition” James Wasserman states “She totally altered the spiritual landscape of western civilization by introducing those concepts.” (referring to the books written by Helena Blavatsky). Both Klint and Blavatsky introduced ideas which were radical and new to the spiritual aspect and the artistic one, although Blavatsky took a more direct route by publishing two books, they equally added a depth of perception to society which increased the connection of, the western world in Blavatsky’s case and of all artists in Klint situation, with spirituality-oriented mindsets. 

Likewise, Deepak Chopra, author of “You are the Universe” states “All of us live in a participatory universe. Once you decide that you want to participate fully with mind, body, and soul, the paradigm shift becomes personal. The reality you inhabit will be yours either to embrace or to change.” Klint used her art works to connect the people with their universes, their own spiritualism, awakened by physical representations of what this may be, pyramids of color and symmetrical connections displaying huge sun like obelisk at the top or bottom of said pyramid, all depending on the view of the watcher. An example of different views is my brother, a rather non-spiritual guy who took a little more than longer observing “No. 1, Altarpiece” of “Group X, Altarpieces”, to then tell me it looked like a Mayan temple, where they used to do the sacrificing rituals and how “No. 2, Altarpiece” seemed to be a continuation of the first pyramid. The perception of the artwork help builds the observer’s own universe, and it could be another goal which Klint achieved.

Group IX/SUW, The Swan.  The SUW/UW series; No. 9, 1915. Oil on canvas

Group X, Altarpieces. No. 1, Altarpiece, 1915.  Oil and metal leaf on canvas.

Group X, Altarpieces. No. 2, Altarpiece, 1915.  Oil and metal leaf on canvas.

Group IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 1. Oil on canvas

Myself, at the exhibit. (Photo taken by my younger brother, Fernando Diaz)