There are artists who create for their time, and then there are artists who create for the future. Hilma af Klint was one of the latter. Born in Sweden in 1862, Hilma was a spiritualist, a mystic, and a woman whose art was decades ahead of its time. She was so far ahead of her time that in her will, she requested that her paintings not be shown until at least 20 years after her death. Intuitively she knew the world wasn’t ready for her creations.
Today, Hilma af Klint is celebrated as a pioneer of abstract art; a title often reserved for male contemporaries like Kandinsky or Mondrian. Yet, Hilma was creating bold, non-representational works years before them. Her paintings weren’t just abstract; rather they were visual portals, vibrant with esoteric symbolism, sacred geometry, and spiritual meaning.
The Five: A Sacred Sisterhood
Hilma wasn’t working alone in her mystical explorations. She was part of The Five—an artist collective of five women who met regularly to conduct séances, automatic writing, and channeled drawing sessions. They believed their creative works were guided by spiritual forces, higher beings they referred to as “The High Masters.”
Their meetings were a radical act of spiritual autonomy. In an era that tried to keep women small and silent, The Five created a sacred and feminine space—both literal and artistic—to express mystical language through art. Through ritual, symbolism, and intuitive collaboration, they produced hundreds of images meant to capture the vibration of the divine.
The Mystical Language of af Klint’s Art
Hilma af Klint’s paintings are a kind of oracle rendered in pigment. Her works are laden with spirals, numerology, double helixes, egg forms, and flowers which appear again and again in her work, often organized into massive series such as The Paintings for the Temple and The Swan.
Symbolism, mysticism and art - it all reminds me of tarot. Which is interesting because tarot was being developed around this time - and I (wrongly) believed that the two must be connected somehow. Afterall, the original tarot deck was designed and illustrated in 1909. When visiting the exhibit at K20 in Dusseldorf, I thought surely both tarot and this artist reference each other? From my research I would learn that no, this was not the case. Perhaps this is why af Klint wanted a majority of her works locked away? Maybe she feared a direct association with tarot?
There is no direct mention of tarot in her journals. I would argue that her paintings echo similar archetypes, dualities, and spiritual quests that lie at the heart of tarot practice. They’re not illustrations such as tarot's are, but the invitation to contemplate, to feel, to remember something ancient within ourselves is there.
Interpreting “The Swan”: A Journey of Duality and Union
One of Hilma’s most symbolically charged series is The Swan (1907), comprised of 24 works that unfold like a mystical narrative. The swan, long associated with transformation, balance, and divine union, becomes a visual cipher in Hilma’s hands.
Let’s explore three key works in the series:
The Swan No. 1
This opening image features two swans: one black, one white, entwined in a dynamic balance spiral. Their necks curve into each other, creating both opposition and embrace. It’s a bold depiction of duality: light and shadow, masculine and feminine, conscious and unconscious. This tension of opposites is a theme found throughout spiritual traditions and divination tools like tarot (think: The Lovers, Justice, or even The Chariot).
Hilma isn’t just presenting swans as beautiful creatures...she’s using them to tell the story of cosmic polarity and the dance toward union of spirituality, the human form, and destiny. This image lays the groundwork for the entire series.
The Swan No. 18
Later in the series, the language becomes more abstract. The Swan No. 18 bursts with concentric circles and a sense of motion and balance. The symbolic swans are no longer literal; they’ve become energy, essence, vibration. This transition mirrors a spiritual ascension—moving from form into formlessness, from duality into oneness.
It’s the visual equivalent of a soul evolution: the material swan has dissolved into light.
Svanen
Often referred to as “Svanen” (Swedish for The Swan), this title is sometimes used interchangeably for works in the series, depending on exhibition context. But more than a title, “Svanen” encapsulates the essence of the series as a whole: transformation, soul alchemy, and the mystical reconciliation of opposites.
Across these works, we witness a spiritual progression: starting with dualistic conflict and moving toward divine synthesis. In many ways, it’s the same journey that tarot guides us through: an unfolding of self, a stripping away of illusion, a movement toward wholeness.
Why Hilma af Klint Speaks to Us Now
Hilma painted for us; for a generation of women that would seek meaning beyond the material, that would honor the divine feminine, that would reawaken to the language of the mystical. Her work is a reminder that art doesn’t have to explain itself. It can whisper. It can wait. It can live in a sealed box for decades and still arrive right on time: I find this so beautiful, especially as someone who at times struggles with the thought of having to start "all over again".; of feeling behind, or playing catch up to what I once had.
Hilma's art challenges that thought process - asking me to reframe: maybe instead, I am a seed, still in its gemination phase, and my time is yet to arrive. Who knows. But I do like this perspective of perceived timeline shifting. Maybe you’ve felt this too? Like the world has moved on without you, or that your timing was somehow off. Hilma reminds me (and maybe you too) that nothing divine arrives early, or late; it's always right on time.
Further Reading: Explore Hilma af Klint's Mystical World
If you're as captivated by Hilma af Klint as I am, here are some recommended reads and resources to dive even deeper into her visionary world of art, mysticism, and feminine spiritual power:
📖 Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future, edited by Tracey Bashkoff
A gorgeous exhibition catalog from the Guggenheim Museum, this book includes over 250 of Hilma’s works, plus essays that explore her spiritual influences, including Theosophy and Rosicrucianism. A must-have for any art lover’s library.
📖 Hilma af Klint: Notes and Methods, edited by Christine Burgin and translated by Phillipa Hurd
This book reveals Hilma’s private notebooks—her thoughts, rituals, and spiritual instructions that guided her artistic process. Reading this feels like opening a sacred journal from another realm.
🎥 Beyond the Visible – Hilma af Klint (2019, Directed by Halina Dyrschka)
A mesmerizing documentary that traces Hilma’s life and legacy, and raises powerful questions about how women’s contributions are erased from art history. Stream it if you want to be moved and outraged.
📚 The Secret Life of Hilma af Klint: The First Abstract Artist, by Julia Voss
A deeply researched biography that places Hilma firmly in the timeline of modern art and finally gives her the recognition she deserves. This one is perfect for those who want both facts and spiritual insight.
🌀 For the Spiritually Curious:
Look into works on Theosophy, Rudolf Steiner’s Anthroposophy, or automatic drawing as practiced by the surrealists. These ideas were part of the same spiritual current that Hilma and The Five were swimming in.
Top Questions Answered About Hilma af Klint
Was Hilma af Klint the first abstract artist?
While artists like Kandinsky are often credited as the first abstract painters, Hilma af Klint created non-representational art as early as 1906—years before Kandinsky's abstract works. She is now widely recognized as a pioneer of abstract art.
What was The Five collective?
The Five (De Fem) was a spiritual and artistic collective founded by Hilma and four other women. They conducted séances and produced channeled drawings, believing they were receiving messages from higher spiritual beings.
Did Hilma af Klint use tarot symbolism?
While there’s no documented evidence that she directly used tarot, her work resonates deeply with tarot’s symbolic themes: duality, transformation, sacred geometry, and spiritual evolution. The original tarot deck would be produced around this time, 1909, and illustrated by a fellow woman artist, Pamela Colman Smith.
What is the meaning behind “The Swan” series?
The Swan series illustrates the journey from duality to unity, using the swan as a symbolic thread. The early paintings feature black and white swans representing opposing forces, while later pieces dissolve into abstract forms, suggesting spiritual transcendence.
