Frida Kahlo, an artist known for her thick, dark eyebrows and self-portrait paintings, is undoubtedly considered one of the most iconic, and vulnerable artists in art history. What started out as a car accident in her early years, set the path for her art career in the future. Although extremely tragic, she spent her time bedridden learning how to paint from books and the Old Masters by propping an easel next to her.
Kahlo created a variety of paintings, from portraits of her friends and families to still life. The ones that stood out, soon becoming her signature style, were her self-portraits. I consider her portraits to be some of the most vulnerable and honest works I’ve seen in an artist, describing not only her emotional and mental wellbeing but also her physical disability. Personally, one of my favorite works from her was the Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird. I get a bittersweet feeling from looking at and analyzing the painting. Through the strong symbolism of flora and fauna, she celebrates and reflects how far she’s come in life as both an artist and a person despite the difficulties thrown at her.
Many consider her works to be surrealist. Although there is a strong resemblance, she added a lot of personal touches that many surrealist paintings lack. In her works, she uses strong references to Mexican folk art, mainly represented through symbolism. One example would be the constant appearance of the Tehuana dress throughout her portraits, such as Self Portrait as a Tehuana. Kahlo was most notable for her rejecting Western standards for women, and instead, looked at a typical Tehuana woman for inspiration, which represented strength, sensuality, and exoticism.
Sources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9XYtPqWLB4&ab_channel=TED-Ed
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Frida-Kahlo
https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/frida-kahlo-self-portrait-with-thorn-necklace-and-hummingbird
Angelica,
Nice post on Khalo here! You have brought a very personal feeling to your writing as you have quite obviously had a real connection to her work. Your passion comes through. One thing, her accident I believe was a bus crash instead of in a car. Anyhow you get 2/2 for this post. Also your presentation on JM Basquiat was solid. Good information and a relaxed presentation. Your score is 9/10 Well Done!
Jeff