Frida Kahlo

Self-portrait with her pet monkey

Self-portrait wearing a red velvet dress
 

 

Photo of Frida Kahlo

What can I say? This interesting mexican artist had a very rich and very very painful life. Life full of operations on her spine, legs and other bones, full of patriotic ideollogy,  full of love for her husband (who was not only unfaithful but he even had an affair with Frida's own sister, and yet they stayed together till Frida's death - with an exception of a separation and divorce time, followed by their second marriage again), full of lost pregnancies, her own love affairs both with men and women.

The style of her paintings is unique and very very personal. To me, her paintings are so full of sadness, brutal reality/facts of pain, and emotion even though in all her self-portraits her face is so emotionally distant and appears looking like a mask. Frida's political views were very left wing, she treated communist ideology almost like a religion, idealizing it. She honored Stalin and Mao in her paintings giving them almost a religious status.  They were for her something to lean on, something hopeful - completely disregarding the regimental practics of these two communist leaders in love with power and power only (how could she not see that?). At least, that's the impression I get from what I read about Frida. Although, I wonder how could I possibly fully understand her since it was different times than mine, different country, or continent even,  with different history.
However, the more I read about her the more fascinating she becomes.

I do admire her sense of fashion with her long traditional-in-mexico colourful dresses and big jewelry, her strong personality and her vivid paintings even though to me they are sometimes disturbing.

I have just read: "Frida Kahlo, 1907-1954, Pain and Passion" by Andrea Kettenmann and watched film about her: "Frida" with Salma Hayek in it.  Can't wait to read her diary which she was writing for the last 12 years of her life, the introduction is written by Carlos Fuentes. I reserved it at the library about 6 weeks ago, still on loan. Hopefully soon.
The last entry in her diary reads: "I hope the exit is joyful...and I hope never to come back ... Frida".