On November 14, Acute Art and Stolpe Publishing will debut a selection of revolutionary paintings by the Swedish artist Hilma af Klint as NFTs on the Gallery of Digital Assets (GODA) platform. Renowned as one of the first abstract painters in the history of Western art, Klint’s 193 “Paintings for the Temple” works were developed between 1906 and 1915, and are considered her most prominent and ethereal creations.
Courtesy of the Hilma af Klint Foundation.
The exclusive NFT series, “Hilma af Klint – Paintings for the Temple,” will be minted in two editions. One will remain with Stolpe Publishing, which is developing a seven-volume catalog raisonné with the collaboration of the Hilma af Klint Foundation. The other will be sold on the GODA platform, founded by industry leaders Pharrell Williams, Shaun Neff, and KAWS.
“Hilma af Klint’s Temple in Virtual Reality,” courtesy of Acute Art and the Hilma af Klint Foundation.
“We created GODA to enable the best contemporary artists to harness this new opportunity but do so on a platform that respects the world-class nature of their work, reputation, and accomplishments,” said Pharrell Williams. “Beautiful and meaningful art truly transcends time, and Hilma af Klint’s work is a perfect example of that. We’re honored to show her work on this platform and to truly celebrate a remarkable woman.”
“Hilma af Klint’s Temple in Virtual Reality,” courtesy of Acute Art and the Hilma af Klint Foundation.
Klint, one of Sweden’s most treasured artists, was also a mystic who frequently invoked spirituality and the scientific breakthroughs of her time into her artworks. She painted in a contemporary fashion, implementing a geometric language and symbolism in vibrant and colorful diagrams, cubes, spirals, and the hypnotic patterns of nature. Through these NFT series, viewers will experience the essence of her mystical focus.
“Hilma af Klint’s Temple in Virtual Reality,” courtesy of Acute Art and the Hilma af Klint Foundation.
Courtesy of the Hilma af Klint Foundation.
Acute Art Artistic Director Daniel Birnbaum also collaborated in the creation of a traveling VR and AR experience, “Hilma af Klint’s Temple in Virtual Reality,” which debuted at Frieze London this year before moving onto Paris+ par Art Basel. The AR encounter transports viewers with an outdoor fantasy, while the VR event immerses guests in six virtual spaces of Klint’s artworks in which the ceilings and walls shift and evolve, echoing the movements of the participant.
“Hilma af Klint – Paintings for the Temple,” NFT; courtesy of Acute Art and the Hilma af Klint Foundation.
“Hilma af Klint dreamt of a spiral-shaped building large enough to show her most important works, the overwhelmingly beautiful Paintings for the Temple,” he said. “In collaboration with Stolpe Publishing, Acute Art has now realized af Klint’s temple in virtual reality. She talked about it as a museum, but also as a spiritual entity, an inner temple shared by all of humankind. As these 193 works are transformed into NFTs, the Temple can now be owned by people worldwide.”
“Hilma af Klint’s Temple in Virtual Reality,” courtesy of Acute Art and the Hilma af Klint Foundation.
