Hilma af Klint’s art doesn’t just hang on a wall—it invites you into a realm where reality begins to blur. Her bold spirals, geometric patterns, and luminous colors feel alive, as though they’re whispering to a deeper part of your consciousness. It’s no surprise that people who’ve experienced psychedelics often find themselves drawn to her work.
Her paintings and psychedelic journeys dive into the same profound questions: What lies beyond what we can see? How are we connected? What fundamental truths hold the universe together?
Photo courtesy of Guggenheim New York
Ahead of Her Time
Hilma af Klint began painting abstract works in 1906, long before the world could appreciate them. She created over 1,000 works during her lifetime, including her monumental series Paintings for the Temple, which consisted of 193 paintings meant to be housed in a spiral-shaped temple. Decades before Kandinsky or Mondrian explored abstraction, af Klint was creating intricate spirals, mandalas, and geometric forms that seemed to channel another dimension.
However, af Klint didn’t see herself merely as an artist. She felt her work was guided by higher spiritual forces, believing she was a messenger for something greater. A member of “The Five,” a group dedicated to spiritual practices like séances, she often described her art as a direct transmission from other dimensions.
Af Klint’s inspiration came from movements like Theosophy and Anthroposophy, which sought to unify art, science, and spirituality. For af Klint, art wasn’t merely expressive; it was a tool for exploring and mapping universal truths.
The Psychedelic Parallel
Psychedelics often elicit intricate, flowing patterns that seem to breathe and pulse with meaning. These visuals feel universal, as though they’re revealing a hidden structure to reality. Af Klint’s work taps into this same visual language. Her spirals and grids feel as though they belong in that realm where the physical and metaphysical converge.
But the connection goes beyond visuals. Psychedelics frequently induce a profound realization that everything is interconnected and that life has a deeper order. Af Klint’s paintings carry that same energy. Her use of natural motifs—flowers, shells, and spirals—mirrors the intricate forms seen in altered states. These symbols convey universal truths, tying humanity to the cosmos in a visual language that transcends words.
Art as a Portal
What makes af Klint’s art so powerful is that it feels like more than just art—it feels like a doorway. Her spirals pull you inward, leading somewhere unknown but profound. Her mandalas don’t just decorate; they act as portals into dimensions beyond our everyday awareness.
Af Klint’s work aligns seamlessly with the psychedelic experience. Psychedelics often feel like stepping into a portal where time dissolves, boundaries blur, and interconnectedness becomes undeniable. Similarly, af Klint’s art invites viewers to explore these same questions and mysteries without requiring any substance to reach those realms.
Searching for Meaning
At the heart of both Hilma af Klint’s work and the psychedelic experience is a shared longing: to understand. Her paintings—and the experiences people describe during psychedelics—both point toward a sacred geometry underlying everything. Her art seems to ask viewers to pause, look deeply, and marvel at the wonder of it all.
Her decision to hide her work for 20 years after her death highlights her belief that the world wasn’t ready for it yet. When her paintings were finally revealed in the 1980s, they opened up new dialogues in the art world, linking spirituality, modernity, and mysticism.
Photo courtesy of Museo Picasso Málaga
A Gift for the Future
Af Klint believed her art was meant for future generations. Her works, particularly those featured in the groundbreaking 2018 Guggenheim retrospective, have since been celebrated globally. This exhibition broke attendance records, affirming her place as one of the most influential figures in modern art.
Her spirals, her symbols, her bold and radiant colors—they carry a quiet but profound message. They remind us that the mysteries of the universe aren’t distant or unattainable. Her art doesn’t just ask us to admire it; it invites us to step into it, explore it, and let it change the way we see the world.
Hilma af Klint’s work feels like a gift—a gift for anyone willing to slow down, look deeply, and let curiosity guide them. It’s a reminder that the unseen isn’t far away. It’s waiting for us to notice it, engage with it, and transform how we understand ourselves and the universe.
