About the author: Kate delves into the mystical realms of art and esotericism. With a Master's in Western Esotericism, her work highlights overlooked dimensions in art history, especially women’s contributions. More about Kate.
Art has always been a mirror, an embodiment of beliefs, an unravelling of emotions before us, and an understanding of the world around us. It can reflect moments in history, the political, cultural consciousness, and the subconscious mind of those who created it. In recent years, a growing interest has emerged that goes beyond aesthetic appreciation – this is the intersection of esotericism and art.
Esotericism is a broad term which refers to hidden knowledge and teachings that go against mainstream and traditional historical currents. Usually, this knowledge is researched by an individual through delving into a religious or spiritual writing or group. Said individual is often initiated into certain philosophical, spiritual, or mystical traditions. In the context of art, esotericism often manifests through symbols, colours, allegories, and codes. These pieces invite viewers for an introspective journey, challenging the conventional ways we perceive reality and encouraging us to explore realms that lie beyond the physical. These artworks explain and symbolise the belief system of the artist or another group. Because of this, we gain access to esoteric philosophies and interpretations throughout the modern era.
The Swan (No. 17), 1915, Hilma af Klint. Photo: Moderna Museet/Albin Dahlström, public domain.
Esoteric art can be found throughout history: from the intricate symbolism of mediaeval alchemical manuscripts to the surrealist works of the early 20th century, which often included alchemical imagery. Artists such as William Blake, Emma Kunz, Austin Osman Spare, and Leonora Carrington all uniquely delved into the religious and esoteric, channelling dreams, interpreting philosophies, and employing ritualistic or distinctive methods and practices as they began creating their works. This was more than just visual representation – it was often an act of communication, a vehicle to access divine or healing knowledge. For the surrealists, practising automatism and tapping into the subconscious mind enabled them and their audience to step into an alternate, liberating way of observing the works and therefore the world.
The Role of Spiritualism in Art
Spiritualism is a movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on the belief in spirits, the afterlife, and the possibility of communication with non-physical beings, all during an era of technological and scientific advancement. There is a distinction between Spiritualism as a movement and spiritual art, a broad term encompassing art that is spiritual in nature. Examples of Spiritualist artists include Anna Mary Howitt, Hilma af Klint, and Georgiana Houghton. These artists employed various methods of communication with spirits, such as automatic writing and drawing, meditation, and rituals to access creation, inspiration, and conversations with the spirits they connected with. As mediums, women gained access to leadership positions that were inaccessible to them in Victorian society outside the realm of the séance. Many of those women were also connected to the suffrage movement.
Wassily Kandinsky, considered one of the pioneers of abstract art, was deeply influenced by Spiritualist and Theosophical ideas, believing that art had the power to express unseen vibrations and divine harmonies. These ideas were particularly significant at the turn of the century, as the world moved toward more rational and industrial advancements, with inventions like the telephone and the X-ray making other planes of existence feel more accessible. During this time, while the Western world’s focus shifted away from traditional religion, many people needed something new to believe in. Kandinsky’s non-representational forms and bold colours were attempts to convey spiritual truths that transcended the material world, as cited in his book Concerning the Spiritual in Art. Kandinsky dealt with theories of colour, referencing Goethe, and played with how they altered emotional states.
There are more recent trends in Spiritualist art, such as the popular photobook Séance by Shannon Taggart, which documents real-life séances, resulting in art itself. From 19th-century séances to modern abstract spiritual movements, artists have long sought to capture the essence of the unseen, creating works that explore the boundaries between the conscious and the unconscious, life after death.
Esoteric Art Today
Still Life Reviving, 1963, Remedios Varo. © Remedios Varo
Avant-garde movements often incorporate elements of esotericism. This connection arises because many avant-garde artists and thinkers wanted to break away from conventional norms and explore deeper, often mystical or occult, aspects of existence. Abstract art was heavily influenced by Theosophy, and many of its key artists were also members of Theosophical groups. Surrealists, such as André Breton and Salvador Dalí, were interested in the unconscious mind and tried to tap into the hidden or repressed aspects of human experience through techniques like automatic writing and dream analysis. Those were inspired by Freud, even though they have roots in esoteric practices. Artists were drawn to esoteric traditions as a means of accessing new ideas, symbols, and philosophical insights that could inspire innovative approaches to creativity. Because esoteric thinking broke traditional norms, it attracted many female artists, who were at the time often marginalised or unrecognised. Particularly in abstract and surrealist art, women have been studied and exhibited more in the last decade, showing the world’s turning attention to their work.
In the last six years especially, the art world has witnessed a significant resurgence of interest in esoteric, surrealist, and outsider art, particularly in works by artists like Hilma af Klint, who is now recognised as a pioneer of abstract art with a deeply spiritual and mediumistic practice. Similarly, the Swiss healer and artist Emma Kunz, the visionary art of Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, Ithell Colquhoun, and the intricate illustrations of outsider artist Madge Gill have all captured the imagination of both collectors and institutions, driving up the demand and value of such pieces. There are abstract artists dealing with the spiritual, such as Paul Klee and František Kupka, and modern sculpturists like James Lee Byars. This fascination is partially fueled by a growing cultural shift towards embracing the mystical and the strange, resonating deeply in today’s increasingly digital, scientific, and ‘disenchanted’ world. Collectors, like Peggy Guggenheim who hosted af Klint’s first solo exhibition, or Anthony Petullo, a collector of outsider art, have played roles in bringing these once-marginalised works into the mainstream.
The relevance of esoteric art today goes beyond mere market trends. There have been countless exhibitions since The Spiritual in Art: Abstract Painting 1890-1985 in 1986, including Venice Biennale’s The Encyclopedic Palace, World Receivers at Lenbachhaus, Traces du Sacré at Centre Pompidou, Guggenheim’s Paintings for the Future: Hilma af Klint, which embodied the intense interest in women artists and esoteric art. We have remarkable contemporary sculptors, such as Marguerite Humeau, whose works resonate deeply with spiritual philosophies and profound research, surrealist painters such as Aleksandra Waliszewska, Astrid Terrazas or Suzanne Treister, celestial painters such as Naudline Pierre, and up-and-coming abstract artists like Harminder Judge.
The question now is whether this trend will endure or morph into something new. For collectors, esoteric art remains a compelling investment – not only for its financial potential, but for its cultural significance. As long as there is a collective yearning for deeper meaning and exploration of the unknown, esoteric art will continue to hold its place in the art world, offering both aesthetic and intellectual richness that is increasingly rare in the contemporary landscape.
A Collector’s Guide to the Mystical
In the articles that follow, we will explore specific movements, artists, and works that have shaped this mystical intersection of art, esotericism, and occultism. We will read about how artist’s philosophical research and influences impact their art and how this has changed art in the modern day. We will see how exhibitions hosting these artworks frame and reflect the moments in history in which they existed. Whether you are a seasoned collector or someone drawn to the mystical for the first time, this column will reveal how art can open doors to new dimensions of thought and experience, guide you through a journey that highlights symbolism, historical significance, and impact on culture embedded in various art forms – from mediumistic and surrealist creations to the expression found in outsider art. The current revisitation of spiritualism and surrealism reflects our need to find meaning, explore the depths of the human experience, and imagine new ways of being in a world that feels increasingly unpredictable and complex. The parallels between today and the 1920s or 1930s suggest that in times of profound change and uncertainty, in times of perceived disenchantment, people who resist the dominant culture gravitate towards movements that offer re-enchanting ways of understanding the world. In the more recent years, this new spirituality practice tends to be rooted in explorations of feminism, anti-colonialism, and imagining alternate power structures.
Starts, 1963, Agnes Martin. © Agnes Martin
This column is a space where one can deepen their understanding of the connection between the seen and the unseen, and emphasize how esotericism and its continued interest adds a new dimension to the art we see today.