Swedish artist Hilma af Klint created hundreds of paintings inspired by her spiritual beliefs. She kept those works secret during her lifetime and requested that they not be displayed for decades after her death in 1944. Most people were unaware of the artist until recently. Over the past few years, several museums have hosted major exhibitions of af Klint’s work—bringing to light the artist’s importance as a pioneer of abstract art. But the growing interest in af Klint has put those in charge of handling her legacy at odds.
Since af Klint’s death, a foundation run by her family and fellow spiritualists has managed her estate. But as the artist has gained recognition, members of the group have clashed. Af Klint’s great-grandnephew, Erik af Klint, who heads the foundation, says some members of the group are commercializing the artist’s search for divine wisdom. He says they are seeking to profit by selling books and reproductions of her art.
Af Klint saw her works as a medium to convey messages from a higher power. Her heir wants the foundation to more closely honor the artist’s intentions. He doesn’t think af Klint’s deeply religious paintings should have ever been displayed for the public and wants to prevent future exhibitions. Instead, he has proposed building a temple, which af Klint designed, to house her work. Only a select group of “spiritual seekers” would be allowed inside.
Art historians worry that this will limit their ability to study af Klint’s contributions to abstract art. The fact that her work preceded that of more well-known abstract artists like Wassily Kandinsky could be groundbreaking.