THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART PRESENTS Hilma af Klint: What Stands Behind the Flowers MAY 11 – SEPTEMBER 27, 2025
The Museum of Modern Art announces Hilma af Klint: What Stands Behind the Flowers from May 11 – September 27, 2025.
The Museum of Modern Art announces an exhibition showcasing MoMA’s recent acquisition of Nature Studies, a portfolio of 46 botanical drawings by the Swedish artist Hilma af Klint (1862–1944), which will be on display for the first time. On view from May 11 through September 27, 2025, Hilma af Klint: What Stands Behind the Flowers explores af Klint’s engagement with the natural world. Created during the spring and summer of 1919 and 1920, the Nature Studies portfolio presents the wonders of Sweden’s flora and showcases the artist’s keen botanical eye.
Af Klint combines her renowned approach to abstraction with traditional botanical drawing, juxtaposing detailed renderings of plants discovered in her surroundings with enigmatic abstract diagrams. Examples include a sunflower paired with concentric circles, a narcissus crowned by a pinwheel of primary colors, and tree blossoms accompanied by checkerboards of dots and strokes. Through these forms, af Klint seeks to reveal, in her words, “what stands behind the flowers,” reflecting her belief that studying nature uncovers truths about the human condition.
