Group X, No. 2, Altarpiece 1915

Curator: Let's talk about Hilma af Klint's “Group X, No. 2, Altarpiece” from 1915, rendered with oil paint. What strikes you when you look at it? Editor: Well, right off the bat, it feels... suspended. Like some sort of spiritual weighing scale. The colors, that austere red contrasting with the ethereal golds and pinks, it's visually arresting! And the stark geometric shapes…what’s going on there? Curator: Af Klint was deeply interested in spiritualism and the occult, you see. This piece, and much of her work, aimed to visualize unseen dimensions. The triangle, especially inverted, often symbolized the descent of spirit into matter. The geometric shapes were her vocabulary, if you will, for describing complex spiritual ideas. Editor: Ah, yes, I see that clearly. So the large gold disc up top... the higher plane, the sun, enlightenment perhaps? And those swirling rings around it, like thought patterns emanating outward. Are we looking at a map of consciousness, maybe? Curator: Precisely! Think of alchemical symbols too, the sun representing gold, perfection, spiritual attainment. The colors also play a crucial role. Red for passion and physicality, balanced, or perhaps challenged, by the ethereal pastels. Those curling shapes forming the central pillar evoke pathways. A journey, an unraveling? Editor: The placement and gradual diminishing of the spirals as they progress deeper into the apex… that makes the point clearer now! This altarpiece, in a way, depicts the shrinking of spiritual understanding as it gets grounded into the earth; becoming the known, predictable pattern laid bare by the grids behind. Curator: Absolutely. It’s less about a fixed dogma, and more a depiction of constant striving, isn’t it? These colours really help bring the symbols alive. Editor: It makes you wonder about the other pieces from ‘Group X’. One can only imagine what other fascinating, esoteric diagrams she conjured up! What a treasure. Curator: Indeed, a singular perspective brought into view.