Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future at the Guggenheim - An Artist for the Ages & Sages

The paintings by Hilma af Klint show an artist whose creativity spun from a ceaseless curiosity & spirituality.  Klint (b Sweden 1862-1944) was a maverick; an artist both ahead of her time.   Her abstract paintings predated Kandinsky.  Klint's work has a captivating kookiness stemming from her endless fascination with innovative breakthroughs in science, mathematics and an open-mindedness towards the occult & spiritualness.  Klint was one of the first women to be accepted into Stockholm's prestigious Royal Academy and graduated with top honors.  A collection of her figurative paintings, mainly portraits & botanical figures attests to her technical proficiency.  However, it is her abstract paintings she gravitated towards that are so remarkable.  The first gallery contains her "10 Largest Paintings".  These share a commonality of color palette, geometric shapes and forms seemingly  aquatic or microscopic images recently identified through scientific discoveries.  This gallery is sufficient reason to view this expansive & exciting collections by a gifted artist.  Her paintings show a fascination with what is indiscernible by the human eye but perceivable through scientific evidence & a spiritual awareness.  Perhaps the death of her 17 year old sister sparked Klint's known participation with seances.  Klint's works reflect her beliefs relating to theosophy; intuition leading to a connection to spiritual divinity & rosicrucianism; metaphysical & mystical mysteries.  This exhibit is both esoteric and engaging calling into question both the artist's intent and your interpretations.  My favorite collection were The "Swan" series explores opposing dualities in nature while sharing their intrinsic connections.  Klint's beautiful "Evolution" paintings show her interest & conceit of the female reproductive anatomy and the recent identification of the atom.  Look closely at her celestial, planetary paintings and you will discover 2 diminutive human figures at the center of planetary forms.  Klint agreed with Darwin's theory of evolution.  Klint also kept an eye to the future of extra-terrestrial discoveries.  The exhibit "Paintings for the Future" is aptly named as Klint's work is expansive, inquisitive, fascinating & timeless.  Klint asked that her abstract works not be shown until 20 years after her death (1944).  Her incredible lasting legacy is ironically an imaginative cumulative abstract body of works that can be realized with an appreciation for the ephemeral, indiscernible,  & yet to be discovered.