Hilma’s Ghost: “Right now, not everything is as it seems. I’m not sure which path to take next. It’s uncomfortable to be unsure, but I can’t stand still or stay where I am.” , you have to decide. Make your choice” 2021, acrylic and flash on canvas, 60″ x 48″/Image: Hilma’s Ghost.
At the beginning of this program I had the impression that I should do Tarot, and on Friday, April 12th Secrist | I could not draw from the deck at the opening, but Beach, before writing this article I had three cards I pulled it. “Spectral Vision: Feminist Collective Signaling Magical Futures” by Hilma’s Ghost is a solo exhibition of three factions: Daniel Tegeder and Sharmista Sharmista, artists influenced by the work and practice of Hilma af Klint; This is part of Ray’s two-year experimental study.
The rediscovery of Swedish-born Hilma af Klint has energized artists who have been left out of society’s narrative for far too long: women, transgender, and non-binary artists. Sparking a collaboration between Ray, an educator, artist, and critic, and Tegeder, a contemporary artist known for his abstract paintings and drawings, Hilmaz’s Ghosts sparked a collaboration through feminist, spiritual discourse, and experimental research. We have focused on approaching their group. In this exhibition, Tegeder and Ray’s work includes the acclaimed retrospective of works from previous collections, “Abstract Futures Tarot.” It consists of 78 drawings, 5 paintings, and an original limited edition tarot deck on display. at the 2021 Armory Show. A 16-foot-tall “Cosmic Altar” painting. and “The Mysterious Intersection of Thought Forms and Seals,” using 28 seal gouache inks and colored pencils on paper by Fabriano Murillo, were created entirely and expressly for this show. .
Hilma’s Ghost, “Automatic Theorem Painting #4,” 2022, oil on cotton velveteen on wood panel, 60″ x 48″/Photo: Hilma’s Ghost
Just as Clint’s methods were considered occult, so too did Hilma’s ghost take on the transcendental. Clint’s pedagogy included spiritual and religious texts. She conveyed spiritual messages and divine guidance in her artistic endeavors. According to Ray, Hilma’s ghost also dabbles in the paranormal, sitting with mediums, practicing ghostwriting (the act of transmitting internal and external vibrations and translating them into text), and holding seances in her home. , and participated in Fluxus-type exercises. The “Automatic Theorem” paintings in particular are distinct from other paintings, as they are “the only paintings that were done in a planned manner,” says Ray. Her piece requires 200 stencils and is oil stained on cotton velveteen. Ray and Tegeder applied the American craft tradition of theorem stenciling to these five of her works. To create the piece, they attached velvet to a frame and used “velvet fingers” to push oil paint around the fabric. This custom, especially considered a women’s craft, is ritualistic in nature. The result is a bright, vibrant and velvety color for the material. Hilma’s Ghost uses negative space and Art Deco geometric patterns and lines to create three-dimensional paintings.
The series of metaphysical and abstract works is consistent with the conventions and approaches utilized by Klint. They are a call to marginalized communities and a call to the forces of the universe. Ray and Tegeder’s artistic focus resulted in an energetic, speculative duet with Clint’s vision. The exhibition is alive with her soul.
“Spectral Visions: A Feminist Collective Signals Magickal Futures” by Hilma’s Ghost is on display at Secrist | Beach, 1801 West Hubbard, through May 25.
