The artwork titled “Atom Series, No. 8: Atom on the ether plane is in constant change between rest and activity. At the rest it pulls itself inwards. This affects the earthly atom as giving of force,” was created by Hilma af Klint in the year 1917. Executed in watercolor on paper, this piece falls under the Abstract Art movement and belongs to the genre of abstract.
In the artwork, there are two distinct sections. The upper left quadrant showcases a smaller, predominantly black square with intersecting diagonal lines converging at a central white circle. This central circle is seemingly split, creating a subtle duality of form. Below, dominating the composition, is a larger square with a similar intersecting diagonal line structure. Set against a blue, textured background, an orange ring surrounds a white circle at the center, emitting radiating strokes of orange, intensifying the sense of dynamic energy and oscillation. The structured lines and geometric shapes provide a visual representation of the artwork’s thematic exploration of the dynamic interplay between rest and activity, reflecting Klint’s metaphysical musings about the nature of atoms. The piece combines a scientific abstraction with a spiritual inflection, typical of Hilma af Klint’s innovative artistic vision.
