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Finnish authors abroad
Finnish authors abroad
Follow in the footsteps of one of the most original – and enigmatic – artists of the 19th and 20th centuries
Swedish painter Hilma af Klint was an academically trained artist who, as part of a ‘rite of passage’, in 1906 began to paint huge, completely unprecedented works that she initially felt were born under spiritual guidance. In addition to spiritualism, her paintings were inspired by modern science and the natural world.
80 years after her death, af Klint is finally being celebrated as a pioneering abstract painter whose bold works predate those of Kandinsky, Mondrian, and Malevich. But why did her groundbreaking works remain virtually unknown for decades? And why do her works evoke such strong interest among contemporary audiences?
Now, revered cultural journalist Pirkko Kotirinta follows in the footsteps of the mysterious artist. Drawing on decades of archive materials as well as numerous interviews with art historians and those with ties to af Klint, Kotirinta tells af Klint’s story from a new perspective. Like an investigator, Kotirinta follows clue after to clue to uncover fascinating details about af Klint’s life and friendships, about how af Klint was inspired by Theosophy, Rosicrucianism, and Anthroposophy, and about the unlikely – and even fortuitous – chain of events surrounding the cataloguing and preservation of af Klint’s works and journals.
A narrative non-fiction title that reads like a detective story, In Search of Hilma af Klint takes you on a captivating journey through the life and afterlife of one of the most talked-about artists of our time.
Pirkko Kotirinta (b. 1958) is a well-known and highly revered Finnish cultural journalist. She has covered art and music for more than 40 years in her role as Culture Editor for Helsingin Sanomat, Finland’s leading broadsheet. Kotirinta has been interested in Hilma af Klint since her debut exhibition at the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress in 1988. In Search of Hilma af Klint is Kotirinta’s debut non-fiction title. She lives with her partner in Helsinki.
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Sample English translation, 14pp
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“IN SEARCH OF HILMA AF KLINT captures the sense of mystery surrounding the artist through its structure, a combination of a travelogue and detective story… The book is grounded in incredibly thorough research. The longstanding culture journalist’s professionalism and genuine enthusiasm for the topic shines through.”— Marja Lahelma, Helsingin Sanomat newspaper