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Title details for The Friday Night Club by Sofia Lundberg - Available

The Friday Night Club

A Novel of Artist Hilma af Klint and Her Creative Circle

by Sofia Lundberg
Alyson Richman
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
An International Bestseller
While men have long been credited with producing the first abstract paintings, the true creator was actually a woman – Swedish artist Hilma af Klint, who was inspired by her mystic visions. Acclaimed authors Sofia Lundberg, Alyson Richman, and M.J. Rose bring her story to life in this groundbreaking novel.
 
Early 1900s: The world belongs to men, and the art world in Stockholm, Sweden, is no different, until Hilma af Klint brings together a mysterious group of female painters and writers—Anna, Cornelia, Sigrid, and Mathilda—to form their own emotional and artistic support system.  The members of the Friday Night Club find themselves thrust into uncharted territory when Hilma and her best friend, Anna, begin dabbling in the occult, believing that through séances they can channel unseen spirits to help them achieve their potential as artists. “The Five,” as Hilma referred to them, was a group of immensely talented, fascinating women whose lives and work were cast into obscurity...until now.
 
The Present: Over a century later, an associate curator at the Guggenheim Museum, Eben Elliot, brings the Hilma af Klint show to New York where he uncovers questions about the Five and how the modern day art world is funded, which puts him in a precarious position both emotionally and professionally, as he witnesses how history can be manipulated.
 
The Friday Night Club is an illuminating historical novel that explores destiny, passion, and the threads that connect five women as they challenge artistic and societal traditions.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    May 16, 2023

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780593675762
      • File size: 238390 KB
      • Duration: 08:16:38

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      This audiobook is a fictionalized account of five real-life extraordinary women in early-twentieth-century Sweden. Led by the forceful af Klint, the group, called De Fem, met regularly to practice drawing artistic inspiration from the spiritual world. Tavia Gilbert provides each woman with a unique voice, ranging from masculine to breathy to nearly hysterical. The exuberant mood shifts dramatically when Pete Cross takes over for the present-day art scene, in which Evan, an earnest, young assistant curator at the Guggenheim Museum, works to research and present a major show of af Klint's work, which has rarely been seen outside Sweden. He taps into the feminist movement while presenting af Klint as the world's first truly abstract painter. J.E.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      Starred review from June 10, 2024

      This novel reimagining the life and relationships of early 20th-century artist Hilma af Klint--a story that centers on women's creative collaboration--is fittingly written by three women and performed by three narrators. Lundberg (A Question Mark Is Half a Heart), Alyson Richman (The Secret of Clouds), and M.J. Rose (Cartier's Hope) team up to explore the creation of De Fem, or the Five, a real-life group of women artists who met on Friday evenings and engaged in s�ances. Af Klint believed that spirits guided her work, and that the s�ances helped her push past traditional boundaries and achieve greater levels of creativity. The tale of af Klint's accomplishments is interwoven with a present-day storyline detailing the work of Guggenheim curator Eben Elliot, who discovers af Klint's paintings and delves into her remarkable history. Despite the ensemble approach to writing, the dual timelines flow smoothly, allowing listeners to imagine the women's weekly gatherings. Veteran narrators Tavia Gilbert and Pete Cross are joined by author Richman; all provide immersive performances and outstanding character portraits. VERDICT Historical fiction readers will be delighted by this deftly narrated production, which offers an intriguing picture of a talented artist and her lasting legacy.--Laura Stein

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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