Higher Expressive Critical

Total Marks: 60 Section 1- Expressive: 30 marks Section 2- Design: 30 marks Attempt either question 1 or 2- 10 marks Attempt either question 3 or 4- 20 marks Attempt either question 5 or 6- 10 marks Attempt either question 7 or 8- 20 marks

Section 1: Expressive Question 1 or 2 (10 marks) Can be any type of art- sculpture, portrait, still life, photograph, fantasy & imagination, figure composition etc. Part (a) describing the work using artistic terms- 6 marks Part (b) explaining the combination of these chosen terms and how they contribute to the piece- 4 marks Focus on the artists that you are studying throughout this year. Part (a) Describe the artists’ work you have been studying- 10 marks Part (b) Explain how social and cultural factors influenced the artist in these works- 10 marks

Social and Cultural Factors Social Factors Cultural Factors What is directly connected to the artist Friends Family Personal issues (mental/physical health, death, etc.) Emotions Sexuality Political views Heritage Culture Religion War World history

Frida Kahlo “I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best”

Background Birth/Death: 6th July 1907-13th July 1954 Nationality: Mexican with German father Education: Studied medicine but abandoned this after a horrific bus accident to become a painter Kahlo produced only about 200 paintings—primarily still life and portraits of herself, family and friends. She also kept an illustrated journal and did dozens of drawings. Was a politically active Communist

Health At the age of 6, Kahlo contracted polio, which caused her permanent physical damage to her right leg and foot. For the rest of her life she walked with a limp, which she tried to hide with long skirt and sometimes even trouser suits. Kahlo began painting after she was in a horrific bus crash (1925), where she was so severely injured that she was told by doctors that she would never have children. Many of her paintings are about her inability to have children. Kahlo deteriorated health-wise, having her right leg amputated due to gangrene in 1952.

Style Her native, Mexican culture is prominent in her work as well as the German heritage Been described as folk art More believe her work is ‘Surrealist’- Surrealist initiator and artist, Andre Breton described her work as a ‘ribbon round a bomb’ - Kahlo rejected this, believing she paints her reality rather than her dreams (which is Surrealist MO.) Paints mostly self-portraits, which express her emotions and life trials “The Two Fridas” (1939) Oil on canvas 173.5 x 173 cm “What I Saw in the Water” (1938) Oil on canvas 91 cm × 70.5 cm

Style (continued) Paints with vibrant colours Her self portraits look at first, in spite of their imaginative overtones of symbolism to be very direct and honest appraisals. Intentionally (perhaps subconsciously) harsh, almost always emphasizing her moustache and “unibrow” effect which, seem much more pronounced in her paintings. Self-critical; it is hard edged and at times is obviously an expression of pain, disappointment and emotional turmoil. “The Wounded Deer” (1946) Oil on masonite 22.4 cm × 30 cm

Influences Wilhelm Kahlo (father) Ex-Voto painters Diego Rivera Mexican roots Mexican and world politics Life events

Homework- 05/09/16 Research Pages for Frida Kahlo (double page minimum) Background information on Frida Kahlo Use the internet to help you: investigate her family and heritage, political and personal background Include Social and Cultural Factors clearly labelled- what influenced her work?- give examples on how they did this. There are hundreds of essays and documents about Frida Kahlo’s life and work, use these to find information- don’t copy them! You can include- mind maps, sketches, maybe find a painting of hers that you find interesting.

Painting 1 Take a minute to study this work. Think about the following questions while you do. What is your initial reaction to this painting? Do you like/dislike it? Why? What do you think is going on here? “The Two Fridas” (1939) Oil on canvas 173.5 x 173 cm

“The Two Fridas” (1939) Oil on canvas 173.5 x 173 cm Created at the same time as her to divorce to Diego Rivera, The Two Fridas is Kahlo’s largest painting. Shows her two sides of her personality- the one her husband loved in traditional Mexican Tehuana dress (right) with a broken heart and the one in modern clothing (left). It is believed to be a painting depicting her deep hurt at losing her husband. One Frida sits on the left of the painting; this sis the Frida that was rejected by Rivera, Her blouse is ripped open, exposing her broken and bleeding heart The Frida to the right, the one that Rivera still loves, has a heart that is still whole. She holds a small portrait of Rivera in her hand. After her death, this small portrait of Rivera was found amongst Kahlo’s belongings, and is now on display at the Museo Frida Kahlo in Mexico. In her diary, she wrote about this painting and said it is originated from her memory of an imaginary childhood friend. Later she admitted it expressed her desperation and loneliness with the separation from Diego. . “The Two Fridas” (1939) Oil on canvas 173.5 x 173 cm

Two Fridas are connected by holding hands but also by an artery- perhaps the independent Frida giving the traditional Frida blood The traditional Frida’s artery is severed and held by surgical instrument- perhaps she cut it herself? The blood is dripping onto the white dress In the modern Frida’s free hand is a tiny photograph of her husband, perhaps signifying her memories of him or that he is the reason for the divorce. “The Two Fridas” (1939) Oil on canvas 173.5 x 173 cm

“The Two Fridas” (1939) Oil on canvas 173.5 x 173 cm

Painting 2 Take a minute to study this work. Think about the following questions while you do. What is your initial reaction to this painting? Do you like/dislike it? Why? What do you think is going on here? “The Wounded Deer” 1946 Oil on canvas (22.4 x 30 cm)

Frida used a young deer with the head of herself and was fatally wounded by a bunch of arrows. The background is the forest with dead trees and broken branches, which implied the feeling of fear and desperation. Far away is the stormy, lightning-lit sky which brings some hope but the dear will never be able to reach it. Kahlo depicted herself as a young stag with her own head crowned with antlers. This young stag is pierced by arrows and bleeding. the artist wrote down the word "Carma", which means "destiny" or "fate". Frida expressed the sadness that she cannot change her own fate. “The Wounded Deer” 1946 Oil on canvas (22.4 x 30 cm)

The branch in the foreground fell from a tree on the right In ‘The Wounded Deer’ Frida Kahlo paints herself as an animal and human hybrid. She has the body of a deer along with antlers extending from her own head. Its front right leg is elevated off the ground, as though it is injured or in motion. In the deer's body are nine arrows, creating wounds from which blood flows. Kahlo's face stares stoically at the viewer, showing little sign of pain. The branch in the foreground fell from a tree on the right “The Wounded Deer” 1946 Oil on canvas (22.4 x 30 cm)

Painting 3 Take a minute to study this work. Think about the following questions while you do. What is your initial reaction to this painting? Do you like/dislike it? Why? What do you think is going on here? “Viva la Vida” (1954) Oil on masonite 23 ½" x 20"

Personal tragedy struck in 1953, when due to complications her right leg was amputated below the knee. Kahlo’s last painting, which she completed shortly before she died, was a still life with watermelons. The watermelon in Frida’s painting has much meaning and is a frequent subject in Mexican art. It is a popular symbol in the holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) which commonly depicts watermelons being eaten by the dead or shown in close conjunction with the dead. “Viva la Vida” (1954) Oil on masonite 23 ½" x 20"

Eight days before she died, she wrote her name, the date and the place of execution on the melon’s red pulp, along with the title “VIVA LA VIDA – Coyoacán 1954 Mexico”, in large capital letters: Long Life Life! Kahlo died in 1954, at the age of 47. She spent her life in pain, and wrote in her diary a few days before her death that she hoped ‘the exit is joyful, and I hope never to return’. “Viva la Vida” (1954) Oil on masonite 23 ½" x 20"

At the end of her life, Frida was heavily dependent on injections of Demerol and Morphine which weaken her and left her in a "semi-sleep" state. This seriously affected the quality of her work. could not have been painted in 1954 and was probably painted in 1952 but the inscription was not included at that time. Sensing that death was imminent, just days before her death one last time possibly Frida dipped her brush into the red paint to add the inscription and sign it “Viva la Vida” (1954) Oil on masonite 23 ½" x 20"

Homework- essay Deadline: 18th October Discuss the THREE paintings we have been looking at. Refer to Social and Cultural Factors When referring to her painting make sure you put in your opinion and JUSTIFY IT. Use your Higher Preparation booklet and refer to the Expressive Wordbanks.

Kahlo Essay