Photo: Etienne Frossard
In 2019, Swedish artist Hilma af Klimt was honored with her first major solo exhibition at the Guggenheim, nearly eight decades after her death. The exhibition spurred a revived interest not only in af Klimt’s abstractionism, but in the spirituality and mysticism that guided her practice. It was within this climate that Sharmistha Ray and Dannielle Tegeder founded the feminist art collective Hilma’s Ghost in 2020. It was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, advocating for experimentation, transcendence, and community. Now, Hilma’s Ghost has unveiled its newest artwork in collaboration with MTA Arts & Design in New York.
Deep below the ground in Manhattan’s Grand Central station, right by the 7 train entrance, is Abstract Futures, a sprawling, 600-square-foot glass mosaic that rewards an attentive eye. The installation buzzes with bold colors and geometric shapes, each of which allude to themes of portals and journeys, according to the artists.
“This mural represents a new way of seeing the city—a journey that is both physical and spiritual,” Tegeder and Ray explain in a statement. “It’s about the connection between people, spaces, and time, and intended to provide a powerful reflection of what New York represents to us all.”
Even with the most cursory of glances, these intentions become clear. Abstract Futures, like much of af Klimt’s work, cleverly integrates abstraction and color symbolism, whether it be in the form of glimmering crescents or concentric circles. These techniques are used in the service of greater meaning, weaving a narrative that unfolds on a spiritual or metaphorical plane rather than one that is purely literal or figurative.
For Hilma’s Ghost, that story takes the shape of a “hero’s journey,” separated into three distinct segments throughout the mural. Each section considers archetypes found in tarot decks, which also serve as significant sources of inspiration for Hilma’s Ghost. (In fact, their first visual project was an abstract tarot deck, also called Abstract Futures, which is now in its third edition).
Read from left to right, Abstract Futures opens with “The Fool,” a figure that, in tarot, traditionally represents the courage required to embark upon a new experience or risk. This segment is dominated by explosive reds, oranges, and yellows, all rendered in angular, expressive shapes like triangles and diamonds. These bright hues gradually slip into earthy tones in the mural’s second section, dedicated to the “Wheel of Fortune” imagery. Here, “the Fool” is grounded, encountering colors more commonly associated with the “material realm,” like green, brown, and ochre. Punctuated throughout are circular patterns, as if reminding the Fool of how the city’s fortunes cyclically rise and fall each day.
Abstract Futures concludes with “The World,” appearing on the wall closest to the fare array. As the mural’s largest segment, “The World” showcases a sort of creation or enlightenment myth, abundant with moons, stars, suns, and other cosmological signs. The composition also accommodates contrasting colors, encompassing vivid blues and vibrant reds to highlight the transition from night to day, and life to death. The ultimate implication is, as the MTA writes, that “light returns and symbols of regeneration and rebirth begin the cycle again.”
“The density of the mural’s imagery, pattern, and color is a metaphor for the endless diversity of the city that is its heartbeat,” Tegeder and Ray explain. “It is that diversity that is what makes New York so special.”
To discover more about Tegeder and Ray’s collective, visit the Hilma’s Ghost website. Information about Abstract Futures can also be found on the MTA Arts & Design website.
Feminist art collective Hilma’s Ghost has created Abstract Futures, a monumental mural decorating Grand Central Station’s subway entrance.
Photo: Etienne Frossard
Photo: Etienne Frossard
Photo: Etienne Frossard
The mural is inspired by tarot decks, mysticism, and spirituality, exploring a journey of transcendence through color symbolism and abstraction.
Photo: Etienne Frossard
Photo: Etienne Frossard
Photo: Etienne Frossard
Abstract Futures by Hilma’s Ghost is located in Manhattan’s Grand Central station, right by the 7 train entrance.
Photo: Etienne Frossard
Photo: Etienne Frossard
Photo: Etienne Frossard