The Kandinsky and Hilma af Klint link

Prior to the rediscovery of the works of Hilma af Klint, a Swedish artist, it was commonly believed that Wassily Kandinsky was the pioneer of modern art's turn to abstraction. However, a theory posits that Kandinsky may have been influenced by Klint's artistic creations, which he might have encountered prior to embarking on his abstract art journey. The following discussion delves further into this intriguing theory.

The evolution from figurative to abstract art has been extensively studied and debated in the field of art history. Nonetheless, there remain numerous unanswered questions and ample room for ongoing discussion. Until recently, the widely accepted view held that Wassily Kandinsky, a Russian-born artist, was the first Western artist to turn towards abstraction with his 1910 Untitled watercolor. However, this date has come under scrutiny due to Kandinsky's practice of self-dating his artwork and purportedly intentionally misattributing some of his works. The discovery of the works of Hilma af Klint, a Swedish occultist, in 1986 has prompted a gradual shift in this perspective.

Group IV, The Ten Largest, No. 9, Old Age, Hilma af Klint, The New York Times

Incorporating Hilma af Klint into the art historical canon presented several challenges. For one, the artist worked in near-total seclusion, seldom displaying her works publicly. When she did exhibit her creations, these showings took place primarily at spiritualist gatherings, rather than conventional art exhibitions. Additionally, af Klint's unique artistic practice, which relied heavily on automatic drawing and the practice of mediumship, made it challenging to establish a connection between her and the wider art world. Her unconventional methods contributed more to her divergence from the art historical narrative than her self-imposed isolation.

Despite her training as a professional artist, which included work in portraiture and botanical illustration, Hilma af Klint's independent oeuvre's occult associations and purported communication with higher beings raised concerns for many traditionalist art historians and curators. Another factor contributing to a hesitance towards incorporating af Klint into the art historical canon could be traced to the art market's circumstances. The artist's will specified that her works were to be kept as a cohesive unit and never to be separated, precluding the possibility of individual works being bought or sold.

Untitled by Wassily Kandinsky, 1910

As more information comes to light regarding the life and work of Hilma af Klint, her art continues to garner an increasing number of admirers. Recently, art historian Julia Voss's translated biography of af Klint has provided valuable insights into the artist's life and creative methods, granting her the recognition she deserved. According to af Klint, her abstract paintings were the result of conversations with Higher Masters, with one being named Amaliel, who allegedly contacted her during a spiritual seance in 1904, revealing that af Klint had a mission of bringing higher spiritual knowledge into the human world.

Over time, she conveyed these messages onto canvases, seeking to intervene as little as possible. Some of her paintings from this period depicted anthropomorphic figures with blatant anatomical flaws, which is unlikely to have been left uncorrected by af Klint, a trained portraitist, unless it was for a specific purpose.

Another pioneer of abstract art, Wassily Kandinsky, who also had an interest in the occult, possessed a rare neurological phenomenon known as synesthesia. This condition causes one sensory pathway in the human brain to be stimulated by another, meaning synesthetes can associate letters and numbers with different sounds or taste colors. In Kandinsky's case, he identified colors and shapes with the sounds of musical instruments, arranging his abstract compositions carefully based on his own emotions and sensations. However, to establish a clear link between Hilma af Klint's works and Wassily Kandinsky's early abstractions, another individual must be considered.

Rudolf Steiner was a prominent and multifaceted figure in European spiritualism. As an Austrian-born philosopher, literary critic, esotericist, and reformer, he developed his theories primarily based on the works of Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Christian culture. While he was an influential member of the Theosophical society, he eventually left the organization in 1912 due to their overemphasis on Eastern religions. In response, Steiner and his followers established the Anthroposophical society, which focused on the exploration of the world through quasi-scientific methods and spiritual practices, serving as a Christian alternative to Theosophy.

Left or Right by Rudolf Steiner, 1922

Although Rudolf Steiner was an accomplished artist in his own right, it was not his primary occupation. He worked with wooden sculpture, watercolor painting, and blackboard drawings, which were created through his own method known as veil painting. These works often featured a unique combination of chalk scribbles, scientific diagrams, and other elements, resembling the style of contemporary artist Cy Twombly.

In 1908, Steiner's visit to af Klint's studio proved to be a turning point in her life and artistic practice. Rather than offering praise for her paintings, Steiner critiqued them harshly, stating that they were not ready to be shown to the public. He advised af Klint to continue her work, but to keep it hidden from view for at least another 50 years, until the world was ready for it. Steiner's advice deeply affected af Klint, and she followed his instructions, keeping her abstract paintings hidden from public view until long after her death.

It is not clear whether Kandinsky had any direct contact with Hilma af Klint or Rudolf Steiner, but the possibility of indirect influence cannot be ruled out. Steiner was a prominent figure in the spiritual and artistic circles of his time, and his ideas and teachings were widely discussed and debated. Kandinsky himself was a member of the Theosophical society, and it is possible that he was familiar with Steiner's work and ideas. Moreover, Kandinsky's interest in spirituality and synesthesia might have made him particularly receptive to the kind of messages that af Klint claimed to receive from the Higher Masters.

It is possible that the lack of documentation is due to af Klint's disappointment or disillusionment with Steiner's response. Alternatively, it could be that af Klint and Steiner agreed not to publicize their meeting for personal or spiritual reasons. Nonetheless, the meeting had a profound effect on af Klint, as she stopped painting for four years, possibly in response to Steiner's criticism.

It is worth noting that Wassily Kandinsky's interest in spiritualism and occultism predates his meeting with Rudolf Steiner. He was already familiar with Theosophy and its teachings before he met Steiner in 1908. In fact, Kandinsky had attended a lecture by the Theosophist Annie Besant in Munich in 1904, which he later described as a "great spiritual experience." However, his encounter with Steiner may have further influenced his ideas about the relationship between spirituality and art.

Kandinsky's Concerning the Spiritual in Art was a significant contribution to the discourse on abstract art and its spiritual underpinnings. He believed that art should be a vehicle for the spiritual, and that the spiritual content of a work was more important than its formal qualities. He saw art as a means of transcending the material world and connecting with higher realms of being, and believed that the use of abstract forms and colors could evoke spiritual experiences in the viewer.

Kandinsky's ideas had a profound influence on the development of abstract art, particularly in Europe and the United States. His emphasis on the spiritual and his rejection of representational art paved the way for artists to explore new forms of expression that were not bound by the constraints of realism. His theories also helped to legitimize abstract art in the eyes of the art establishment, which had long been suspicious of the genre.

While it is still a matter of debate whether Kandinsky was directly influenced by Hilma af Klint's work, there is no denying the fact that both artists were exploring similar ideas about the spiritual in art at around the same time. As more attention is paid to af Klint's work and her contributions to the development of abstraction, it is possible that her influence on Kandinsky and other artists of the period will be recognized and acknowledged.

Composition 5 by Wassily Kandinsky, 1911

Indeed, the question of the origins of abstract art is complex and multifaceted, and there are various possible influences and sources. Islamic art, as you mentioned, is one example of non-representational art that existed long before the advent of abstract art in the Western tradition. Another possible influence on the development of abstract art in the West is the emerging interest in psychology and the exploration of the inner world, as well as the changing cultural and societal landscape of the early 20th century.

Furthermore, it is worth noting that while Kandinsky is often credited as the "father of abstraction," there were other artists working in a similar vein at around the same time, such as Kazimir Malevich, Piet Mondrian, and Robert Delaunay. It is likely that the emergence of abstract art was the result of a confluence of various factors and influences, rather than a single individual or event.