Hilma af Klint - an astrological profile
The increasingly recognised Swedish artist Hilma af Klint who died in 1944 was born October 26 1862.
This post looks at how her inherent energies -as much as can be known without a full birth chart - are indicative of her body of abstract work.
Only a very selective representation of her work is used here for illustration of the theme addressed
Though traditionally trained in the fashion of the day - landscapes and portraits af Klint really found her forte in abstraction - drawing heavily upon the symbolism of natural and geometric forms due to both inherent inclinations and exposure to the metaphysical and transcendent philosophies from the late 1800s.
In terms of how the known representation of her astrology is consistent with her expressions [actual birthtime not known] af Klint’s birthdate clearly combines all those potentials:
A Scorpio Sun-Mercury conjunction.
Pluto in Taurus
Mars in Pisces.
Venus Jupiter and Saturn in Libra
South Node Uranus in Gemini trine Venus
North Node in Sagittarius - with Moon likely nearby.
In response to those influences the life of Hilma af Klint revolved around Nature Art Philosophy Spirituality - and the visual and textual documentation of these intermingled threads in a huge number of notebooks -over 100.
Going by at least a few of the large body of works - which included oil and watercolour - af Klint was partial to the world of astrology -or at the very least its symbolism of zodiac signs within paintings of what look to be large planet spheres.
Her pre-natal eclipses occurred in June 1862;
The June total lunar eclipse at 21 Gemini resonated strongly in her through the natal position of Uranus at 20 Gemini - so too the Venus-Pluto conjunction in Taurus at the eclipse - which by her birthdate came through Pluto alone.
The Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of that era was in Earth - Virgo - there was a 2 degree orb between these at the lunar eclipse and they were tightly square Uranus in Gemini.
The conjunctions in Earth in that era were very much part of the trajectory of the Industrial Revolution -[1861 1881 clearly marking a sustained onset of physical material emphasis on production and productivity. This work-like-a-machine ethic was clearly evident in af Klint as she was born in that 20 year subset of the longer era of Earth influence within society -beginning a year before her birth.
At birth Jupiter and Saturn had moved into Libra - where the ethic of prodction was suitably applied to her work as an artist.
The key additional point of note re the June 27 partial solar eclipse was Mars 25 Pisces was exact square the Sagittarius-Gemini nodes dispensing into the collective the urge to communicate spiritual themes.
Only Chiron was retrograde in June 1862 so those outer planet imprints were full steam ahead and likely contributed to her capacity to be so productive - even if by October 1862 her birthdate showed 5 retrogrades -Mercury Mars plus Uranus Neptune Pluto.
It could be argued that this was the perfect mix -strong impulses from collective and personal energy patterns along with equally strong inner directed energy being processed through the subconscious - and particularly useful to have the 3 outer planets so imprinted upon her psyche in their transits close to Earth when she was born -as well as being retrograde for weeks or months in advance - [especially Neptune - since early July 1862. Pluto from mid August. Uranus from late September - this sequence covering the prior 1 to nearly 4 months before her birth.
Neptune remained retrograde after birth until mid December 1862 = over 6 weeks post natal.
Pluto was retrograde until late January 1863 = 3 months post-natal.
Uranus was retrograde until late February 1863. = 4 months post-natal.
This clarifies the time frame of strong outer planet influences being absorbed [ which equates to higher consciousness transmission being imprinted]
These timings only reflect the exact station to station time periods -the full periods of influence would be longer with these outer planets due to the long slowdown in advance of the retrograde station and the slow uptick in speed before station direct.
see my dedicated post on retrograde periods
The point to be made is that af Klint so strongly expresses the acquired imprinted qualities of Uranus Neptune and Pluto in her abstract body of work.
These 3 planets all connect to other-worldly consciousness and to the formless background layer identified both in spiritual faiths and by physicists who embrace both micro and macro scale bigger picture realities:
Uranus offers - in the right vehicle - the ability to tune into the background energy fields of the cosmos.
Neptune offers the potential for immense sensitivity of perception to the point of immersion and direct connection to the unified whole that embraces the totality of existence.
Pluto offers the attunement to the metaphysical - everything non-visible non-physical - the larger dimensions of activity beyond the basics of terrestrial life.
Science is taking hundreds of years to explore and verify what sensitives and mystics like af Klint simply know can see and feel.
From the age of 18 af Klint was inspired to represent spiritual ideas - the natural disposition of Neptune -while maintaining a deep engagement with forms found in nature.
Mathematics and botany were strongly in her consciousness.
While many years in adulthood were devoted to spiritual exploration on an experiential level her commitment to abstraction took hold strongly from the age of 44 -inspired by those spiritual experiences and philosophies.
The geometric language of lines and forms was utilised to reveal invisible forces in the inner and outer worlds and allow her paintings to become “gateways to other dimensions”
Af Klint saw herself as being able to channel the ideas from non-visible entities and to work as an automatic transcriber of the holy - a ‘’technician of the unknown” instructed to “proclaim a new philosophy of life”.
The work was not simply about form and resonance. It was also about meaning.
Scientifc discoveries of the era were aligned to the transit of Uranus in Gemini -whereby unusual or revolutionary ideas arise - including in science.
One 1860s discovery was spectroscopy - which allowed previously unseen chemical elements to be seen using a newly invented optical device called a spectroscope which utilised a prism to enable analysis of a substance. This aspect of optics being used to peer deeper was a physical dimension use of the prevailing Uranus in Gemini influence.
For af Klint the energy was accessible without scientific instruments because she could read/perceive energies from within the non-physical dimension.
After the era of Uranus af Klint was born into [1858-1866] the next period of Uranus in Gemini [1942-1949] saw Abstract Expressionism unleashed in the United States. This art form again was tapping into energy fields and manifesting them through art.
It is no surprise that Uranus [ being the polarity of the bold and colourful expression of Leo] is the signifier of the conceptual the abstract the detached and so a merging of Uranus into art - not just science is no surprise - and that scientific art has its own genre.
Af Klint harnessed the geometric aspect of scientific language as her chosen Uranian medium of expression to convey Neptunian [oceanic immersion] and Plutonic perceptions [a deeply insightful reading of the energies imbued in natural forms]
Af Klint was the perfect vehicle -the ideal consciousness - through which the new insights of the era could be transmitted -but her mentor Rudoplph Steiner warned her to hold back some of her work - realising it was ahead of its time and too easy for the mainstream to reject.
Increasingly but gradually since ther work was exposed in 1964 a wider and larger receptive audience has evolved -to a peak of popularity [so far] in 2018-2019 in New York at the Guggenheim “Paintings for the Future exhibition.
When the show opened on October 12 2018 the Sun was 18 libra squared by Pluto 18 Capricorn - on the midpoint of af Klint’s Venus-Jupiter in Libra - fitting signifiers of the popularity of this showing and it’s transformational effect on her career/reputation.
