Hilma af Klint and Wassily Kandinsky Dreams of the Future

Mar 16 – Aug 11, 2024

Tickets

  • Hilma af Klint, Altarbilder, Gruppe X, Nr.1, 1915 ©The Hilma af Klint Foundation/Wassily Kandinsky, Im Blau, 1925 © Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf, Foto: Achim Kukulies, Düsseldorf

Two great names are considered the guiding stars of Western abstraction: On the one hand, Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944), the Russian painter, co-founder of the “Blauer Reiter” in Munich, and teacher at the Bauhaus in Weimar and Dessau. On the other hand, Hilma af Klint (1862–1944), the Swedish artist whose visionary work has only recently been rediscovered and has since inspired a wide audience.

With the exhibition at the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, the works of af Klint and Kandinsky will be united for the first time in a comprehensive exhibition. It offers a unique opportunity to compare and understand their paintings, watercolors, drawings, and notes. Af Klint and Kandinsky, who lived almost simultaneously, have in common that they wanted to invent much more than a new style of painting with abstraction.

Wassily Kandinsky became famous during his lifetime. Since then, he has influenced many generations of artists with his paintings and writings. However, far fewer people know af Klint, even today. Her fame came much later and had to overcome many obstacles. It was only when the Guggenheim Museum in New York showed her works in a major retrospective in 2018, which was seen by 600,000 people, that the outsider became a star. Today, just like Kandinsky, she is an important source of inspiration for many artists. Both dreamed of a future to which art would lead the way. Both dreamed of a future to which art would point the way.

Curated by Julia Voss and Daniel Birnbaum.

The exhibition is supported by Freunde der Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, HSBC Germany, Karin und Uwe Hollweg Stiftung and Ernst von Siemens Kunststiftung.

Free audio guide to the exhibition!

Immerse yourself in the world of Hilma af Klint and Wassily Kandinsky with the voices of two outstanding actors: Anna Schudt is an International Emmy Award winner and investigated Tatort Dortmund between 2012 and 2022. Moritz Führmann is known for his roles in Tatort and SOKO Leipzig.

Click here for the audio guide

The audio guide is available in German, English and simple language (D) - please bring your own headphones.

Media Partner of the exhibition
Rheinische Post

  • Supported by

  • Media Partners

  • Supported by

Installation views

  • Hilma af Klint and Wassily Kandinsky. Dreams of the future, installation view, Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, 2024, Photo: Achim Kukulies
  • Hilma af Klint and Wassily Kandinsky. Dreams of the future, installation view, Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, 2024, Photo: Achim Kukulies
  • Hilma af Klint and Wassily Kandinsky. Dreams of the future, installation view, Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, 2024, Photo: Achim Kukulies
  • Hilma af Klint and Wassily Kandinsky. Dreams of the future, installation view, Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, 2024, Photo: Achim Kukulies
  • Hilma af Klint and Wassily Kandinsky. Dreams of the future, installation view, Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, 2024, Photo: Achim Kukulies
  • Free audio guide

    More

Catalog

Publication

The exhibition will be accompanied by a comprehensive publication, edited by Julia Voss and Daniel Birnbaum, in which the two exceptional artists Hilma af Klint and Wassiliy Kandinsky meet.

(German)

208 pages

32,00 €

Order catalogue

Your Visit

Reaching us
K20
Grabbeplatz 5
40213 Düsseldorf

Bus stop:
Heinrich-Heine-Allee

Opening hours

Tuesday – Sunday, public holiday
11 am – 6 pm

Visitor’s service
Registration and information
Tel +49 (0) 211 8381-204
service@kunstsammlung.de

Online tickets
Book tickets for our exhibitions online
shop.kunstsammlung.de