Frida Kahlo “The Two Fridas”

The Life of Frida Kahlo Born Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón on July 6, 1907 in Mexico City, Mexico. She was a famed Mexican painter known for her self-portraits. She also employed the use of Mexican culture in her works, particularly the use of indigenous and national traditions. She was also known for her garden, and often depicted herself wearing a crown of flowers. (She was a big fan of wearing traditional Mexican folk attire, which consisted of bright skirts, peasant blouses, flower crowns, and opulent jewelry). She married renowned Mexican painter Diego Rivera in 1929, even though her mother did not approve of the marriage. (Rivera was a very large man, over six feet tall and over 300 pounds, was more tan 20 years older than her, had two wives by common law, and was a self-professed womanizer.) Her parents referred to the marriage as one “between an elephant and a dove”, because he was so large and she was on 5’3” and 98 pounds. The two were not faithful to each other and eventually divorced in 1939, though they remained friends and ended up remarrying in 1940. Kahlo had suffered from fragile health following a bus accident in 1925 for the remainder of her life, and spent many of her days bedridden from one ailment or another. Kahlo died on July 13, 1954, while bedridden due to bronchopneumonia. She seemed to have predicted her death, talking of it to her nurses, drawing skeletons and angels in her diary, and the last words of her diary were: “Espero alegre la salida – y espero no volver jamás (I joyfully await the exit – and I hope never to return).”

Artistic Style Kahlo is classified as a Surrealist, having been labelled one by the founder of the movement, André Breton. However, Kahlo didn’t like that label, insisting that her art was inspired by her reality, and not her dreams. Surrealism was a major cultural movement that began in the 1920’s, originating in Europe but quickly spanning the globe. It incorporates the dichotomous elements of dreams and reality, and is most commonly associated with visual works that depict unnerving, graphic, and illogical scenes executed in a photorealistic manner. Some major artists in the movement include Max Ernst, Joan Miró, Jacques Baron, Gala Éluard (Dalí), and Salvador Dalí (BAE). Many of the key players in the movement would incorporate philosophies popularized by Sigmund Freud and other scientific theories. Kahlo’s style in particular utilized many aspects of Mexican folk art and would often reflect her own personal tragedies.

Assignment Directions This will be a creative assignment in which you can choose one of the following options. Choose wisely. This will be due on Friday. Research another Frida Kahlo painting and write a two-paragraph long analysis of the content of the painting. Write a short story that explains what is going on in the painting. Story must be one page in length and relate to the theme of the painting. Write a poem inspired by the story. Poem must be at least 20 lines in length and relate to the theme of the painting. Create your own visual in the same style of the self-portrait using the theme of the painting. No stick figures allowed and must be in color.