Primordial Chaos, No. 16, The WU-ROSEN Series. Grupp 1 1906 - 1907

Editor: Here we have Hilma af Klint’s, *Primordial Chaos, No. 16*. She painted it between 1906 and 1907. The swirling patterns of light blue and yellow against the royal blue background gives me the impression of celestial bodies in motion. What can you tell me about this evocative piece? Curator: The title itself provides a point of entry, doesn’t it? ‘Primordial Chaos.’ We're seeing af Klint's exploration of the very beginnings, a sort of spiritual genesis represented through abstract forms. These aren't simply circles; they evoke a sense of energy, movement. Do you notice how the blue spirals seem to be unraveling, contrasted by the more tightly wound gold ones? Editor: Yes, the contrast is quite striking. The spiraling is also evocative of growth or even DNA. What does that gold represent? Curator: The gold, in many traditions, including those af Klint was researching, represents enlightenment or a higher spiritual plane. The zig-zagging form it takes – what could that mean? Think of lightning or perhaps a pathway between different states of being. What comes to mind when you see these patterns? Editor: The more tightly-wound gold seems concentrated, like pure potential. Whereas the spiraling light blue gives the sense of infinite expansion outward. Is that impression in line with other interpretations? Curator: Absolutely. Many read these forms as representing different aspects of creation – the material and the spiritual. Af Klint was deeply involved with spiritualism, and it clearly influenced her artistic language. She’s not depicting something she sees, but rather visualizing complex spiritual truths, like the dynamic forces in nature. Editor: So, she's less interested in depicting the outer world and more concerned with visually representing internal or spiritual truths? Curator: Precisely. She offers a visual metaphor for intangible concepts, and then lets the viewer interpret the impact and meaning, guided by the symbolic gestures. What a fascinating look at our earliest memories! Editor: Definitely. The visual language of the unconscious, perhaps? I have learned to approach art in an entirely new way today. Thank you.