Vasily Kandinsky- Several Circles (1926)

When one thinks of the abstract expressionist art movement, one may recall works of Vasily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, and Jackson Pollock. However, the majority of their well-known masterpieces were done in the 1930s and 40s. On the other hand, Hilma af Klint, a female artist, began making radically abstract paintings as early as 1906. Hilma af Klint paintings such as her series of Paintings for the Temple (1906-15) show her studies of religion and spiritualty as her main inspiration behind her work of art. Even though Hilma af Klint wasn’t widely known as her contemporary peers, she continued to push the boundaries of her abstract artwork, experimenting with elements such as shape, color and space.

As a female artist in the early 20^th century, Hilma af Klint knew that her paintings were ahead of her time, and that her art wouldn’t reach the status that contemporary male artists had reached at the time. She ultimately decided to reserve her work for a future audience that would better appreciate her work by demanding that her works would remain unseen until twenty years after her death.

Hilma af Klint -Series IV No. 2b (1920)

Although I didn’t consider myself too religious, I come from a catholic family where we are thought the ten commandments and other basic human morals. In Hilma af Klint’s case, she hints her religious belief though her Series IV where one of the canvases shows a boxy silhouette of a Christian cross. To some extent, I believe that one’s religious belief is part of one’s identity because religion can change or influence one’s morality.

Hilma af Klint- Group IX/UX, The Dove (1915)

Even though Hilma af Klint wasn’t known for portraiture art, I believe that her Group IX/UX, The Dove and the SUW/UW Series inspires me to use music as part of my self-portrait project. Showing some kind of conceptual resemblance to the famous Pink Floyd “Dark Side of the Moon” album covers done by Storm Thorgerson. It’s pitch black background and colorful rings surrounding the giant white circle. Pink Floyd along with other classic rock bands were one of the main ways that me and my late father connected throughout my childhood. I plan to implement Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” album cover in one of my Self-portraits to show its significance in my life.