Never once did she hide, cower or expect to be shielded from the harsh realities of her life. Credit Paul A. Portrait of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, Chester Dale papers, circa Both had multiple affairs, divorced once, and got married again a year later. They were famous for being openly bisexual. Yes, she was in a lot of pain, and have suffered a lot in her life, and expressed her struggles, but she never blamed anybody nor saw herself as being helpless.
She always met them head-on, like the strong, fierce portraits taken by the various photographers amazed at how she conveys inner strength. Frida could have so easily adopted a victim mindset, but instead, she transformed her harsh realities into a passion for her art, the conviction of her self identity, and challenged social values of that time. A numbered edition piece of , Frida Kahlo is painted in vivid blues, greens and reds. The six large flowers in her hair are handmade with such precision and attention to detail that they almost seem real.
In addition, Frida is wearing skull earrings, an homage to the famous Mexican symbol of Catrina, made in porcelain and gold-plated brass. The monkey that you see perched on her left shoulder is a common sight in her self portraits. Later in life, the leg contracted gangrene, and she had to have it amputated. But her spirit remained unbroken, and she instantly adapted to a prosthetic leg. She was encouraged by her father to play sport despite her illness, and he also taught her about literature, art and philosophy.
For much of her life, she was known as Rivera's spouse; it was only after that she was recognised as an artist of great talent. Roughly one-third of her works are self portraits. Kahlo had very simple explanations for her choice of subjects "I paint flowers so they will not die.
At a time when being 'feminine' was the norm for women, she was not shameful about her facial hair and even depicted it in her works. Kahlo did not shy away from politics either. In the elite National Preparatory School, she became a voracious reader and was exposed to indigenismo , an ideology which sought to rid the Mexican mindset of the superiority of Europe. She also became a part of Cachucas — an informal group which rebelled against everything conservative, played pranks and discussed philosophy.
She joined the Mexican Communist Party in , and when she visited America, she criticised the rich for partying away their money while the poor suffered. During the civil war, Kahlo changed her identity considerably. The terrible accident also caused Kahlo to live her life in chronic pain.
Not only did she need frequent surgery to help with her spinal injuries, she was largely confined to spending her days in bed. It was in her bedridden state that Kahlo discovered a love for painting. She had a specially-made easel that enabled her to paint in bed, and a mirror placed above it so she could see herself.
Yes, some of her greatest artworks were self-portraits — a total of 55 out of paintings, to be exact. They are noted as an expression of her internal struggles and physical and mental suffering. I am broken. But I am happy to be alive as long as I can paint. I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head without any other consideration.
She experimented with many varied styles and motifs — often shocking the art world with paintings filled with sexual references. Her subject matters were symbolic. The themes she focused on proved to be deeply personal in nature too. Her heritage for instance, or her long struggles with childlessness and femininity. It shows her in between a stalking panther and a monkey, wearing a necklace of a dead hummingbird.
Kahlo completed the piece in , one year after her divorce from Mexican muralist Diego Rivera who she remarried a year later. As such, it is believed to reflect her emotional state during a dark, tumultuous life period. On the left, she depicted herself clad in a traditionally European gown. On the right, her heart is whole, and she is wearing in modern Mexican dress.
While initially saying that the painting originated from her memory of an imaginary childhood friend, she later admitted that it expressed her desperation and loneliness with the separation from Rivera.
The fruits in this piece are literally weeping. There are many who believe that Kahlo was signalling the deterioration of her health with this particular painting. And it may be true — it was completed just three years before she died in Her art drew from music too.
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