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Dissertations and Theses
Dissertations and Theses
4-1997
The Emergence of an Icon: The Frida Kahlo Cult
Teresa Neva Tate
Portland State University
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TH ESIS A PPR O V A L
The abstract and thesis of Teresa N eva Tate for the M aster of A rts degree in
H istory w ere presented A pril 9, 1997, and accepted by the thesis com m ittee
and
the departm ent.
C O M M ITTEE
A PPR O V A LS:
Friedrich
Schuler, C hair
D avi
Shaw n Sm allm an
M artha W orks
R epresentative
D EPA R TM EN T
of the O ffice of G raduate
Studies
A PPR O V A L
Go
B . D odds, C hair
D epartm ent
of H istory
*******************************************************************
A C C EPTED
FO R PO R TLA N D
STA TE U N IV ER SITY
on
B Y TH E LIB R A R Y
2: 7&;)K /997
ABSTRACT
A n abstract of the thesis of T eresa N eva T ate for the M aster of A rts in H istory
presented A pril 9, 1997.
T itle:
T he E m ergence of an Icon: T he F rida K ahlo C ult.
A t her death in 1954, F rida K ahlo w as know n as little m ore than the
w ife of m uralist D iego R ivera. S ince then her art and personae have taken on
a cult-like follow ing and she has becom e an icon of popular culture. T hus far
F rida's repute has stretched across three decades, from the 1970s, 1980s, and
into the 1990s. F rida's popularity is view ed as prim arily em erging from the
W om en's M ovem ent of the 1970s. H ow ever, interest from m any other groups
have carried her im age into the 1980s and 1990s. A side from the W om en's
M ovem ent, F rida's popularity reflects a grow ing interest in M exico,
specifically the "rom anticized" im age of M exico, in the w ake of rising
international relations betw een M exico and the U nited S tates.
E ach subsequent exhibit of F rida's w ork brought w ith it a plethora of
articles and exhibition catalogues. B y the late 1980s books on F rida's
biography and her paintings began flooding the m arket along w ith articles
fro m v a rio u s p e rio d ic a ls , fro m
f a s h i o n , t o m e d i c a l , t o w o m e n 's
jo u rn a ls . N u m e ro u s o th e r p u b lic a tio n s
o n F rid a h a v e in c lu d e d
p o s t c a r d s , a n d a c o o k b o o k . A b o o k o f F r i d a 's
s tu d ie s
c a le n d a rs ,
le tte rs a n d h e r d ia ry w e re
p u b lis h e d in 1 9 9 5 .
T h e a s s o c i a t i o n s a r o u n d F r i d a 's
n a m e h a v e c re a te d th e le g e n d o f h e r
p e rs o n a lity . S h e is v ie w e d a s a g e n iu s p a in te r, o n e w h o e x p re s s e d
e m o tio n s a n d life o n c a n v a s , w h o s p o k e fro m
re m e m b e re d
h e r h e a rt a n d w h o h a s b e c o m e
a s a m a rty re d s a in t. S c h o la rs a n d th e g e n e ra l p u b lic a lik e h a v e
l a t c h e d o n t o F r i d a 's
in to a re m a rk a b ly
s u p p o rte d
her
im a g e , m a k in g h e r in to m o re th a n a m e re a rtis t, ra th e r
in s ig h tfu l a n d b ra v e in d iv id u a l. T h is p o p u la r m y th h a s b e e n
b y F r i d a 's
o w n life s ty le , b y h e r fla m b o y a n t a ttire , s c a n d a lo u s
re la tio n s h ip s , a n d in te rn a tio n a lly
re c o g n iz e d frie n d s h ip s .
F rid a w a s , h o w e v e r, a n in d iv id u a l w h o s u ffe re d fro m
th e s a m e
in s e c u ritie s th a t m u c h o f th e p o p u la tio n d o e s : in s e c u re in lo v e a n d a c c e p ta n c e .
F rid a h a d th e a b ility to m a s k h e r e m o tio n s o f in s e c u rity w ith h e r p h y s ic a l p a in ,
w h ic h s h e th e n e x e rc is e d o n th e c a n v a s .
It i s
th is a b ility to d e a l w ith h e r
e m o tio n a l p a in th a t h a s b ro u g h t h e r life a n d w o rk to th e c u lt-lik e s ta tu s th a t
h e r m e m o ry n o w
e n jo y s .
T H E E M E R G E N C E O F A N IC O N : T H E F R ID A K A H L O C U L T
by
TERESA NEVA TATE
A th e s is s u b m itte d
in p a r tia l f u lf illm e n t
r e q u ir e m e n ts
f o r th e d e g r e e o f
M ASTER OF ARTS
In
H IS T O R Y
P o r tla n d
S ta te U n iv e r s ity
1997
.
o f th e
ACKNOW LEDGEM ENTS
T h e r e a r e m a n y p e o p le w h o h a v e a d v is e d , a s s is te d a n d e n c o u r a g e d m e
in th e p r o d u c tio n o f th is th e s is . I w o u ld lik e to th a n k m y a d v is o r , D r . F r ie d r ic h
S c h u le r , w h o d ir e c te d , e n c o u r a g e d , a n d p u s h e d m e . A ls o m y th e s is c o m m itte e
m e m b e r s - D a v id H o r o w itz , S h a w n S m a llm a n , a n d M a r th a W o r k s -
f o r th e ir
tim e , p a tie n c e , a n d c o u n s e l.
I w o u ld a ls o lik e to th a n k m y f r ie n d s a n d f a m ily m e m b e r s w h o
e n c o u r a g e d m e a lo n g th e w a y a n d w h o r e a d c o u n tle s s d r a f ts . A s p e c ia l th a n k s
to S a n d r a A n n T a te a n d S e o n a id O p h e lia J a n e t V a lia n t. I a ls o th a n k M a r k
T r o w b r id g e w h o f ir s t e n c o u r a g e d m e to c o n tin u e m y e d u c a tio n .
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
C H A PT E R
PA G E
I
Introduction
II
T he R eal Frida
III
Icon For M edical and Psychological
IV
Icon of Suffering and T ragedy in T heatrical
Setting
45
V
Frida K ahlo as an Icon to A rtists
. .................
52
VI
Suffering and B eauty Personified
V II
Icon of Strength For the H om osexual
V III
Icon of W om anhood
IX
Icon of C om m ercialization.
...... 98
X
C onclusion:
.... 108
C hronology
B ibliography
... 1
....... 11
Professions
in Fashion
C om m unity
.
Frida K ahlo as a C ultural Icon
31
68
. 76
... 84
115
. . 126
IN T R O D U C T IO N
D u rin g
H o w e v e r,
h e r life tim e F rid a K a h lo w a s w e ll k n o w n
it w a s n o t u n til th e 1 9 7 0 s th a t s h e w a s " d is c o v e re d "
d is c o v e re d "
o u ts id e
K a h lo p a rtic ip a te d
th e c o u n try o f h e r b irth . R e g a rd le s s
in o v e r th irty e x h ib its
Sw eden,
F ra n c e , E n g la n d ,
re c e iv e d
in a ll h e r e x h ib its ,
U n ite d
in M e x ic o .
S ta te s a n d E u ro p e
c u lt lik e fo llo w in g ,
o f th e fa c t th a t F rid a
in M e x ic o , th e U n ite d
a n d P e ru , b e tw e e n
1937 and 1954
it w a s th e e x h ib itio n s
K a h lo
I
It a ls o
th a t s p a rk e d a n in te re s t a n d p ro d u c e d
e s p e c ia lly
d e v e lo p s
L o w e , S a ra h M .
a n a lm o s t
to fo rm a c u ltu ra l
o f th e ris e in p o p u la rity
c u lt fo llo w in g .
Frida Kahlo.
a n d w a s w e ll
a m o n g a rtis ts .
a n u n d e rs ta n d in g
a n d th e s u b s e q u e n t
1
S ta te s ,
a fte r h e r d e a th in th e
T h is s tu d y s e e k s to s h o w h o w e v e n ts c o m e to g e th e r
Ic o n
o r " re -
o f F rid a
W h ile m a n y o f th e re c e n t a u th o rs
H o n g K o n g : U n iv e rs ity P u b lis h in g , 1 9 9 1 : 2 5 .
1
writing on Frida have discussed at length her artwork and traumatic life
story, few have even attempted to explain the elevation of her popularity. In
all the books and articles written about Frida the authors have primarily
focused on her life but not the following gained after her death. Hayden
Herrera, whose biography of Frida helped bring fame to the artist, makes a
statement as to the possible reasoning behind the rise of her popularity: "a
Hispanic woman, bisexual, an invalid and an artist - all the qualifications
for
a cult figure.i" Others see her as the perfect romantic heroine, as author
Martha Zamora stated: "one who suffered greatly, died young, and spoke
directly through her art to our atavistic fears of sterility and death.
,,3
In her dissertation abstract, 1981, Hayden Herrera states that Frida
Kahlo had already become something of a cult figure in Mexico by 1980.
Although Frida was not as well known in the United States by the early
nineteen-eighties,
Herrera points to there existing a growing interest, both
academic and popular, in her work 4 Ever since the 1968 Tlatelolco
massacre, which scarred the Mexican nation and destroyed its popular
revolutionary
ideology, Mexican artists have sought alternative beliefs and
icons to replace those shattered. More importantly, according to author Liza
Herrera, Hayden. "Why Frida Kahlo Speaks to the 90s" New York Times. October
28, 1990.
3 Zamora, Martha. Frida Kahlo: The Brush of Anguish. Translated by Marilyn Sode
Smith. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. 1990: 8.
2
2
B akew ell, M exican artists have looked to F rida K ahlo to represent a post1968 aw areness
5
T he com m ercialization of F rida as a cultural im age originated w ith
the propaganda built up around M exican art in tw o specific instances; the
1968 O lym pics and the 1975 International W om en's C onference both held
in M exico C ity. T he O rganizing C om m ittee of the X IX O lym piad published
a catalogue of the F rida K ahlo M useum 6 w ith the intent of gaining tourists
w ith the capital city's artistic and cultural heritage as w ell as arousing the
attention of the M exican people." T he W om en's C onference further
stim ulated interest in M exican art through various exhibits of M exican
w om en artists.
E ven prior to the 1975 W om en's C onference, fem inists in the U nited
S tates had begun the initial stages of form ing an attachm ent to F rida K ahlo.
T his is docum ented in an article by G loria O renstein published in 1973, in
w hich O renstein cites the F rida K ahlo M useum catalogue'' as a source for
4
H errera, H ayden. Frida Kahlo: Her Life, Her Art. P h.D . dissertation. N ew Y ork:
C ity U niversity of N ew Y ork, 1981.
5
B akew ell, L iza. "F rida K ahlo: A C ontem porary
F em inist R eading" Frontiers. V 13n3,
1993: 166.
6
The Frida Kahlo Museum. introduction by L ola O lm eda de O lvera. M exico C ity:
O rganizing C om m ittee of the X IX O lym piad, 1968.
'Ibid.: n.p.
S O renstein sites: O 'G orm an, Juan. "F rida K ahlo" also R ivera, D iego. "F rida K ahlo and
M exican A rt." Catalogue of the Frida Kahlo Museum. E ditions M iguel G alas S .A .
M exico, 1970.
3
h e r in fo rm a tio n
re g a rd in g
th e a rtist. F rid a 's
o f in te re st a n d a n in sp ira tio n
tra u m a tic
to fe m in ist a n d w o m e n
In h e r a rtic le , G lo ria O re n ste in
le g e n d a ry ,
a rtists a lik e .
sta te s th a t th e d isc o v e ry
K a h lo h a d b e g u n b y th e g e n e ra l a rt p o p u la c e ."
p le a fo r re c o g n itio n
life sto ry th u s b e c a m e
O re n ste in
o f F rid a
m a d e a p a ssio n a te
o f F rid a a n d h e r w o rk w h e n sh e sta te d : " h e r fa m e is
b u t h e r a rtistic re p u ta tio n
a n d h e r im p o rta n c e .t'"
A lth o u g h
is n o t c o m m e n su ra te
w ith h e r sta tu re
th e F rid a K a h lo M u se u m
Ju ly 2 5 , 1 9 5 8 , sh e h a d b e e n 'w ritte n
o u t o f A rt H isto ry .'
c a m e a t a tim e w h e n fe m in ist w rite rs w e re b e g in n in g
w a s d e d ic a te d
O re n ste in 's
to d o c u m e n t
on
p le a
w om en
a rtists a n d w rite th e m in to th e h isto ry o f a rt. F rid a w a s b ro u g h t to th e
a c a d e m ic
F rid a 's
w o rld th ro u g h
e v e n ts su c h a s Jo y c e K o z lo ffw h o
w o rk a t a m e e tin g
o f th e C o lle g e A rt A sso c ia tio n
M o re o v e r,
re fe rre d
in a n a rtic le in th e jo u rn a l
to H e rre ra 's
a s h a v in g b ro u g h t
b io g ra p h y
e n title d
its w a y in to A m e ric a n
a s e x o tic a n d ro m a n tic ,
U n ite d
9
in Ja n u a ry
1975
11
Ja n is B e rg m a n -C a rlto n
Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo,
F rid a to h e r p re se n t-d a y
In th e m id st o f U S -M e x ic a n
se e p in g
Art in America,
sp o k e a b o u t
sta te o f p ro m in e n c e .
re la tio n s o v e r o il, M e x ic a n
12
a rt b e g a n
g a lle rie s. T h is re fle c te d th e im a g e o f M e x ic o
a n im a g e p o rtra y e d
b y b u sin e ssm e n
S ta te s a n d M e x ic o . T h e M e x ic o T o d a y S y m p o siu m
O re n ste in , G lo ria . " F rid a K a h lo : P a in tin g fo r M ira c le s"
10
Ib id .: 9 .
11
H e rre ra , H a y d e n . " F rid a K a h lo : H e r L ife , H e r A rt"
in b o th th e
(1 9 7 8 -7 9 )
u se d
Feminist Art Journal. 1973.
Artforum.
V 1 4 n 9 , M a y 1 9 7 6 :4 4 .
4
art exhibits as a cultural im age
13
A lthough F rida w as not coined as a poster-
girl at this point her art began being displayed in galleries.
14
In fact it w as at
this tim e that F rida had her first solo exhibit in the U nited S tates since 1938.
T he W om en's
M ovem ent
and M exican-A m ericans
attention of galleries and businessm en
com m odity
w ho eventually saw in her a
w ell w orth investing in. T hrough
of C ontem porary
exhibits such as the M useum
A rt in C hicago and representation
A uction H ouse," F rida's
helped bring F rida to the
through C hristie's
w ork has becom e m ore w ell-know n
than that of
her husband the renow n m uralist D iego R ivera.
T he C hicago exhibit toured six m useum s'?
other exhibits of F rida's
and inspired num erous
w ork. In S an F rancisco the G aleria de la R aza
B ergm an-C arton, Janis. "L ike an A rtist" Art in America. V 181nl, Jan. 1993: 36.
"T reasures of M exico" exhibit.
14 M elnychuk, S ue. Confirming claims and investigating identities: Frida Kahlo and
Americanfeminism
in the late 1970s. M A T hesis. C anada: U niversity of B ritish
C olum bia. 1992: 10-11.
15 M ay 19· 79,S othbey's sold Self-portrait
with Monkey for $44,000. M adonna now
ow ns the painting, and paid $1 m illion for it. M ay 1991, C hristie's sold Self-portrait
with Loose Hair for $1.65 m illion. A nother self portrait w as privately sold for $3.3
m illion. S ee: T ully, Judd. "T Ile K ahlo C ult" ARTnews. V 93n4, A pril 1994: 126-33.;
L ong, M ary. "B ack to ducks" Economist. V o1.36,A ugust 5, 1995: 78.; V inzant, C arol.
"IB M 's A m erican paintings fetch record sale prices" Reuters. M ay 25,1995.;
"C hristie's sells painting by K ahlo for $1.65 m illion" Wall Street Journal. C , 8:4, M ay
16, 1991.; R ubiano, D ora. "V enden cuadro de F rida K ahlo en $3.2 m illones: records
m undiales en" El Diario/La Prensa. M ay 5, 1995.; R ubiano, D ora. "S otheby's
rem atara la "coleccion IB M ': G ran subasta de arte" El Diario/La Prensa. M arch 28,
1995.
16 O riginating in C hicago at the M useum of C ontem porary A rt in January of 1978, the
exhibit traveled to: M andeville A rt G allery, U niversity of C alifornia, S an D iego
(through M ay 17); P hoenix A rt M useum , A rizona (June 9-July 23); U niversity of
T exas A rt M useum at A ustin (A ugust 13-0ctober I); S arah C am pbell B laffer G allery,
U niversity of H ouston (O ctober 14-N ovem ber 19); N euberger M useum , S tate
12
13
5
e x h ib ite d
w o rk s b y M e x ic a n -A m e ric a n
a rtis ts w ith F rid a b e in g re p re s e n te d
a s a n ic o n fo r th e D a y o f th e D e a d c e le b ra tio n s .
re p re s e n ta tio n
a p p e a re d
in n o v a tiv e
h a d lo n g b e e n id e n tify in g
a rtis t in T iju a n a
in th e U n ite d
w om en
a n d u n d o c u m e n te d
ris e to p o p u la rity
e x h ib it a t th e W h ite c h a p e l
E u ro p e
1939
th is
S ta te s , a rtis ts in M e x ic o
F rid a w ith th e D a y o f th e D e a d . F o r e x a m p le ,
th ro u g h
E u ro p e
in th e U n ite d
S ta te s s p a rk e d
A rt G a lle ry in L o n d o n
a n d e n d e d in N e w Y o rk
w ith th e firs t e x p o s u re
an
and of
a rt e x h ib itio n s .,,1 8
h e r w o rk in E u ro p e . T h is w a s firs t d e m o n s tra te d
tra v e le d
A lth o u g h
c re a te d " S ta . F rid a , th e p a tro n s a in t o f c h ild re n
u n d o c u m e n te d
F rid a 's
17
th ro u g h
a n in te re s t in
a re tro s p e c tiv e
in 1 9 8 2 . T h is e x h ib it
A d d itio n a lly ,
it p ro v id e d
o f F rid a K a h lo s in c e h e r e x h ib it in P a ris in
19
T h e 1 9 8 0 s a ls o s a w F rid a 's
S in g e r M a d o n n a ,
im a g e ta k e n u p b y th e film in d u s try .
w h o o w n s tw o p a in tin g s
a rtis t in a m o v ie , w h ic h n e v e r m a te ria liz e d
b y F rid a ,2 0 w a n te d
21
In
1 9 8 4 , M e x ic o
to s ta r a s th e
is s u e d a
U n iv e rs ity o f N e w Y o rk a t P u rc h a s e (D e c e m b e r 8 -J a n u a ry 4 , 1 9 7 9 ). F o r fu rth e r
in fo rm a tio n s e e : H e rre ra , H a y d e n . Frida Kahlo. C h ic a g o : T h e M u s e u m o f
C o n te m p o ra ry A rt, 1 9 7 8 .; C h a p lik , D o ro th y . " T h e H a u n tin g V is io n o f F rid a K a h lo "
Nuestro. M a y 1 9 7 8 : 6 4 .; M u c h n ie , S u z a n n e . " T w o e x h ib its with s o m e th in g s p e c ia l"
Los Angeles Times. P a rt V I, A p ril 1 7 , 1 9 7 8 :4 .
1 7 K a m in , Ira . " M e m o rie s o f F rid a K a h lo " San Francisco Sunday Examiner
and
Chronicle. M a y 6 , 1 9 7 9 : 4 4 -5 0 .
is L o w e .L O .
19
T u lly : 1 2 6 -3 3 .; a ls o s e e : M u lv e ry , L a u ra . a n d P e te r W o lle n . Frida Kahlo and Tina
Modotti. L o n d o n : W h ite c h a p e l A rt G a lle ry , 1 9 8 2 .
2 0 M a d o n n a o w n s Self-portrait
with Monkeys a n d My Birth
21
T u lly : 1 2 6 -3 3 .
6
patrim ony
on F rida's
w ork, thus ensuring that no m ore of her w orks could
be sold outside M exic0
22
In 1990, H ayden H errera, exam ined the cult w hich had arisen around
F rida. H er article entitled "W hy F rida K ahlo S peaks to the 90s"
corresponded
w ith the opening
T hirty C enturies,,23
w ith the econom ic
of the art exhibition "M exico:
at the M etropolitan
of
M useum . T his exhibit coincided
sum m it w here U S P resident B ush and M exican P resident
S alinas w ere scheduled
to discuss a free-trade
pact betw een their countries.
A lthough the exhibit largely focused on pre-C olum bian
becam e the "poster-girl."
H er self-portraits
of buttons, posters, and billboards
conjunction
S plendors
w ith the econom ic
new financial reappraisal
art, F rida essentially
w ere m ass produced
advertising the exhibition.
sum m it, F rida's
24
T hus, in
face becam e the face of the
w hich w ould generate a com parable
of the stature and investm ent
in the form s
enhancem ent
portfolio of M exico itself.
2'lbid: 129.; A lso see: H errera, H ayden. "W hy F rida K ahlo S peaks to the 90s" New
York Times. O ctober 28: 1990.
23 H ughes, R obert. "O nw ard from O lm ec" Time. O ctober 1990: 80.; T ew low , Jeff.
"S plendors of M exico" Hispanic. January I, 1991: 28.; G oldm an, S hifra M .
"M etropolitan S plendors: T he B uying and S elling of M exico" Third Text. n14, S pring
1991: 17-25.; B arta, R oger. "M exico O ficio: T he M iseries and S plendors of C ulture"
translated by C oco F usco. Third Text. n14, S pring 1991: 7-15.
24 F rida's im age becam e so popular at this tim e period that it even appeared in T V
show s. F or exam ple: S einfeld. "C igar S tore Indian" 8917. E very bus/m etro stop had
the sam e poster of F rida.
7
T h e re s u lts o f th is s tu d y w ill fo c u s m a in ly o n th e U n ite d
w ill s h o w th e e v e n ts le a d in g u p to th e e m e rg e n c e
c u ltu ra l ic o n . F o r a lm o s t tw o d e c a d e s , F rid a 's
n u m e ro u s
o f F rid a K a h lo a s a
s e lf-p o rtra its
c ritic s a n d a rtis ts w ith m o d e ls to c h a lle n g e
g e n d e r s te re o ty p e s
s p a rk e d a n a n g ry c u rre n t o f a n ti-F rid ita s ,
a n d re d e fin e
v ic tim .
25
s e g m e n ts
e s p e c ia lly
in M e x ic o , a c c o rd in g
o f th e p o p u la tio n ,
w h ic h is , h o w e v e r,
c h a p te r d is c u s s e s
a n d p s y c h o lo g ic a l
F rid a 's
o f th e e x p e rie n c e s
p re c is e ly th e te rm s u n d e r
ris e to fa m e it is n e c e s s a ry
to firs t
s h e liv e d th ro u g h . T h u s th e firs t
m e d ic a l p ro c e d u re s
th e a ttra c tio n
p ro fe s s io n s .
s h e e n d u re d
h e r life h a s re c e iv e d
it is o n ly lo g ic a l
fro m th o s e in th e m e d ic a l
F ro m th is c h a p te r a s tu d y o f F rid a 's
s u rv iv e u n d e r e x tre m e c o n d itio n s ,
in to th e fo llo w in g
by m any
th e life o f F rid a K a h lo , th e 're a l F rid a .'
W ith th e n u m e ro u s
to th e n e x a m in e
as a
a n ic o n .
In o rd e r to u n d e rs ta n d
g ra s p a k n o w le d g e
to
p o in ts o u t th e
v ie w is o n e th a t F rid a h a s b e c o m e id e a liz e d
w h ic h o n e b e c o m e s
25
e x p re s s io n s
to th e F rid a K a h lo c u lt, o n e in w h ic h F rid a is p e rc e iv e d
L ip p a rd 's
p re v a ilin g
H e r c u lt h a s , o f c o u rs e , a ls o
a u th o r J u d d T u lly . T h e fe m in is t a rt c ritic , L u c y L ip p a rd ,
d o w n s id e
h a v e p ro v id e d
a s w e ll a s g iv e v is u a l v o ic e to th e e m e rg in g
o f g e n d e r, ra c ia l, a n d e th n ic d iv e rg e n c e .
S ta te s a n d
a b ility to
e v e n o n e s s h e h e rs e lf c re a te d , w ill le a d
c h a p te r th a t d e a ls w ith th e P e rfo rm in g
A rts a n d th e
T u lly : 1 2 6 -1 3 3 .
8
re p re s e n ta tio n
e x a g g e ra te d
T hese
o f h e r tra g ic
in m a n y
e x a m p le s
A rtis ts
p ro fe s s io n .
A rtis ts
to a w o rs h ip
a ls o fo rm e d
lik e w is e ,
re p re s e n ta tiv e
The
fa s h io n
w om en.
M e m b e rs
open
o n th is
d re sse d
lo o k
has been
o n h e r life s to ry .
to F rid a .
p a in te d
e x a m p le
T h e irs
is o n e
o f lik e
h e r p a in
in to h e r c a n v a s e s .
and
to h e r a s a
lo o k
a s a s a in t.
h e r c lo th in g
has becom e
in F rid a
o f th e h o m o s e x u a l
c o m m u n ity
o f th o s e
s ty le s , th a t o f th e
synonym ous
s ty le c lo th in g ,
re la tio n s h ip s .
th e a tte n tio n
in v a lid is m
o f h e r s u ffe rin g .
h a s id e a liz e d
F r i d a 's
b is e x u a l
h a s g a in e d
F rid a
and
th a t fo c u s
a n a tta c h m e n t
a rt o r e v e n
in d u s try
a s m o d e ls ,
d u e to h e r
ta k e n
fo r th e ir
T e h u a n te p e c
T h is
le a d
a ilm e n ts
p ro d u c tio n s
A s a n a rtis t h e rs e lf,
have,
s e d u c tio n
th e a tric a l
have
have
l i f e . F r i d a 's
peer
have
She never
p a in
and
o u t a t th e v ie w e rs .
g a in e d
c o n c e a le d
in th e s e x u a l
w ith
in te re s t
in F rid a
h e r s e x u a lity .
re v o lu tio n ,
such
a s s in g e r
M adonna.
The
re s p o n s ib le
w ith
fe m a le
a rtis ts .
e x p lic itly
m ovem ent
f o r F r i d a 's
w ritin g
fe m a le
fe m in is t
fa m e .
a rtis ts
S h e p a in te d
fe m a le
s u b je c t
h a s lo n g
F e m in is t
been
w rite rs
in to a rt h is to ry .
in a m a le
th o u g h t
o f th e
F rid a
d o m in a te d
w as
o f a s b e in g
1 9 7 0 s w e re
seen
c o u n try
c o n c e rn e d
a s a n e x a m p le
and
fo r
p a in te d
m a tte r.
9
International relations between the United States and Mexico have
also boosted Frida's popularity. By 1990 her face began the transformation
to becoming a representative
for Mexico itself. In all the groups interested in
Frida it has been her extraordinary pain combined with the mythical idea of
exoticism that has let her image prevail and allowed it to continue to grow.
10
T H E R E A L F R ID A
S u g a r sk u lls, w a x d o v e s, c a n d e la b ra ,
accom pany
th e m e m o ra b ilia
K a h lo . B e lo v e d
b o o k s a n d a C o m m u n ist
o f o n e o f M e x ic o 's
m o st a d o re d a rtists, F rid a
b y m a n y , h e r d e a th in 1 9 5 4 , h a s b e e n re m e m b e re d
a rtic le s th a t c e le b ra te
th e a g e o f fo rty -se v e n .
h e r life a n d re fle c t u p o n th e a n n iv e rsa ry
In h o n o r o f h e r d e a th , p e rm issio n
by
o f h e r d e a th a t
w a s g ra n te d fo r h e r
c o ffin to lie in sta te a t th e P a la c e o f F in e A rts in M e x ic o C ity .
a s a n a tio n a l
fla g
26
C h e rish e d
id o l, sh e is re fe rre d to sim p ly a s F rid a .
A re d fla g w ith th e c o m m u n ist
h a m m e r a n d sic k le la y a c ro ss F rid a 's
c o ffin . O n c e o p e n e d , th e c o ffin re v e a le d F rid a a m id st a fie ld o f re d
c a rn a tio n s.
H u n d re d s
p ro c e ssio n
th a t le a d h e r b o d y to th e c re m a to riu m .
26
D ru c k e r, M a ik a .
g a th e re d to w a tc h a n d ta k e p a rt in th e fu n e ra l
M a n y fo llo w e d
a s fa r a s
Frida Kahlo: torment and triumph in her life and art.
A lb u q u e rq u e : U n iv e rsity o f N e w M e x ic o P re ss, 1 9 9 5 : 1 4 3 .
11
p o ssib le ,
o n ly tu rn in g b a c k o n c e n e a rin g th e o v e n
re fle c tio n s
b o d y risin g u p a s th o u g h sittin g ju st b e fo re sh e e n te re d th e
im m e n se
th e a p p e a ra n c e
h e a t. H e r h a ir a b la z e , su rro u n d in g
a s th o u g h
K a h lo y C a ld e ro n
29
sh e w a s b a p tiz e d M a g d a le n a
H e r h e rita g e w a s a m ix tu re o f E u ro p e a n
K a h lo , a H u n g a ria n
M a tild e C a ld e ro n
a n d 're b irth '
o f h e r c o u n try .
a n d M e x ic a n . H e r p a re n ts w e re
Je w w h o m o v e d to M e x ic o a s a n a d u lt, a n d
o f S p a n ish -In d ia n
rip p e d a p a rt b y a re v o lu tio n
In te lle c tu a ls
C a rm e n F rid a
L a te r in life F rid a re fe rre d to th e d a te o f h e r b irth a s
1 9 1 0 , in o rd e r to id e n tify w ith th e re v o lu tio n
G u ille rm o
h e r sm ilin g fa c e , it g a v e
sh e w e re lo o k in g th ro u g h a g ia n t su n flo w e r.i"
B o rn o n Ju ly 6 ,1 9 0 7 ,
p rim itiv e
In th e n u m e ro u s
w ritte n o n th is m o m e n t, th e m u ra list D a v id A lfa ro S iq u e iro s
re c a lls F rid a 's
o v e n 's
27
d e c e n t. F rid a w a s b o rn in to a M e x ic o
th a t c h a n g e d th e c o u n try 's
so c ia l o u tlo o k .
b e g a n lo o k in g b a c k to th e ir h e rita g e a s a rtists b e g a n to im ita te
sty le s. T o g e th e r
fro m th e E u ro p e a n
th e y fo rm e d a n e w se n se o f n a tio n a lism .
in flu e n c e s,
D e p a rtin g
in sp ire d b y th e d ic ta to r P o rfirio D ia z a n d h is
2 7 Ib id .: 1 4 4 -4 5 .; H e rre ra , H a y d e n . Frida: A Biography
ojFrida Kahlo. N e w Y o rk :
H a rp e r a n d R o w , P u b lish e rs, 1 9 8 3 :4 3 8 .; K a h lo w a s a b e lo v e d p e rso n a lity in M e x ic o ,
m a n y p e o p le a tte n d e d h e r fu n e ra l, in c lu d in g fo rm e r P re sid e n t L a z a ro C a rd e n a s, w h o
w a s a lso a p a llb e a re r. A lso se e : K a m in : 4 4 -5 0 .
za S iq u e iro s w a s re fe rrin g to a p a in tin g F rid a h a d d e stro y e d . O n e in w h ic h sh e h a d
p a in te d h e r fa c e in a su n flo w e r. S e e D ru c k e r: 1 4 4 -5 .
2 9 K a h lo w e n t b y h e r se c o n d m id d le n a m e in h o n o rin g h e r fa th e r's h e rita g e . O n h e r b irth
c e rtific a te h e r n a m e h a s th e G e rm a n sp e llin g o f F rie d a , h o w e v e r, a fte r th e b e g in n in g o f
W o rld W a r II sh e d ro p p e d th e 'e " in a n a tte m p t to d isa sso c ia te h e rse lf w ith h e r G e rm a n
n a m e . S e e : H e rre ra . Frida.: 1 0 .; D ru c k e r: 7 .
12
elitist fo llo w ers, th e n ew M ex ico reflected u p o n its n ativ e ro o ts an d
lau n ch ed an ag en d a o f cu ltu ral ren ew al an d ed u catio n al g ro w th . M ex ico 's
arch aeo lo g ical h isto ry w as b ein g rev ealed in ex cav atio n s o f th e an cien t ru in s
at M itla, M o n te A lb an , E l T ajin , an d T eo tih u acan . A n ew fascin atio n w as
fo u n d in th e n ativ e arts an d crafts o f all reg io n s."
F rid a K ah lo s
early life seem ed sim ilar to th at o f o th er ch ild ren h er
ag e. S h e su ffered fro m th e sam e d iseases m an y ch ild ren d o : m easles,
ch ick en p o x , an d to n sillitis. H o w ev er, in 1 9 1 3 , at th e ag e o f six F rid a
su ffered fro m a b o u t w ith p o lio . H er treatm en t co n sisted o f b ein g co n fin ed
to h er ro o m fo r n in e m o n th s. H er rig h t leg w as w ash ed w ith "w aln u t w ater
an d sm all h o t to w els.T " T h ese n in e m o n th s w ere to b e fo llo w ed w ith
ex ercise to stren g th en th e leg . T h is ex p erien ce left F rid a p h y sically an d
em o tio n ally w o u n d ed an d o ften lo n ely . T o am u se h erself sh e in v en ted an
im ag in ary frien d . B y b reath in g o n th e w in d o w in h er ro o m sh e created a
sm all p atch o f fo g b ig en o u g h fo r h er to d raw an im ag in ary d o o r.
In h er
im ag in atio n F rid a p assed th ro u g h th is d o o r an d p lay ed w ith h er im ag in ary
30
Z am o ra:
1 9 .; S m ith , B rad ley .
Mexico: A History in Art. N ew Y o rk : D o u b led ay an d
A History a/Mexican Mural Painting.
C o m p an y , In c., 1 9 6 8 .; R o d riq u ez, A n to n io .
L o n d o n : T h am es
31
H errera
& H u d so n , 1 9 6 9 .
Frida: 1 4 .; T ib o l, R ach el. Frida Kahlo: An Open Life. T ran slated b y
E lin o r R an d all. A lb u q u erq u e: U n iv ersity o f N ew M ex ico P ress, 1 9 8 3 : 1 2 .; T h ere is n o
statem en t as to w eath er th is w as an u n u su al treatm en t o r if th is w as cu sto m ary fo r
treatin g p o lio .
13
frie n d , w h o w a s a g ile a n d d a n c e d , w h ic h F rid a w a s u n a b le to d 0
re tu rn e d
to s c h o o l th e o th e r c h ild re n
te a s e d h e r b e c a u s e
A t th e a g e o f fifte e n , in 1 9 2 2 , F rid a e n ro lle d
P re p a ra to ry
p h y s ic ia n .
S c h o o l in M e x ic o
W om en
32
O nce she
o f h e r s k in n y le g
33
in th e N a tio n a l
C ity to p re p a re fo r a p ro fe s s io n a l
c a re e r a s a
h a d ju s t re c e n tly b e e n a d m itte d to th e s c h o o l, a n d F rid a
w a s o n e o f th irty -fiv e
g irls in a s c h o o l o f o v e r tw o th o u s a n d .t"
tro u b le m a k e r, F rid a J o in e d a g a n g o f s c h o o l c h ild re n
E v e r th e
c a lle d th e C a c h u c h a s ,
d e riv e d fro m th e c a p s th e y w o re , a n d k n o w n a t th e s c h o o l fo r th e ir
in te llig e n c e
a s w e ll a s th e ir m is c h ie f.
fro m th is g ro u p , in c lu d in g
M a n y o f F rid a 's
h e r firs t b o y frie n d ,
life lo n g frie n d s c a m e
A le ja n d ro
G o m e z A ria s
35
A ls o d u rin g th e s e y e a rs F rid a firs t s a w th e fa m o u s m u ra lis t D ie g o R iv e ra .
H e h a d b e e n g iv e n a c o m m is s io n
a u d ito riu m .
to p a in t a m u ra l in th e P re p a ra to ria 's
F rid a e n jo y e d p la y in g p ra n k s o n th e m u ra lis t." S h e to o k fo o d
H e rre ra . F r i d a : 1 4 -1 5 .; F ra z ie r, N a n c y . F r i d a K a h l o : m y s t e r i o u s p a i n t e r . C o n n .:
B la c k b irc h P re s s , 1 9 9 2 : 8 .; T ib o l: 1 2 -1 3 R e fe rs to D r. H e n rie tte B e g u n , w h o w ro te
K a h le 's c lin ic a l h is to ry in 1 9 4 6 . A c c o rd in g to th is a c c o u n t th e in c id e n t a s to o k p la c e in
1 9 1 8 . It is a ls o n o t re fe rre d to d ire c tly a s b e in g p o lio , ra th e r a s a " s lig h t a tro p h y in
rig h t le g w ith s lig h t s h o rte n in g a n d fo o t tu rn e d o u tw a rd " c a u s e d b y a b lo w fro m a tre e
tru n k . T ib o l's re p o rt s ta te s th a t s o m e d o c to rs th o u g h t it to b e fro m p o lio o r " w h ite
tu m o r" (c h ro n ic tu b e rc u lo u s a rth ritis ).
3 3 H e rre ra
F r i d a : 1 5 .; F ra z ie r.: 1 7 -1 8 .; K e tte n m a n n n , A n d re a . F r i d a K a h l o , 1 9 0 7 1 9 5 4 : p a i n a n d p a s s i o n . K o ln : B e n e d ik t T a s c h e n , 1 9 9 3 : 1 0 .
3 4 H e rre ra
F r i d a : 2 5 . ; Z a m o ra .: 1 9 .
32
G a rc ia , R u p e rt. F r i d a K a h l o : A B i b l i o g r a p h y a n d B i o g r a p h i c I n t r o d u c t i o n .
B e rk e le y : U n iv e rs ity o f C a lifo rn ia , C h ic a n o S tu d ie s L ib ra ry P u b lic a tio n s U n it, 1 9 8 3 :1 2 ; F ra z ie r.: 3 1 -2 .
3 6 H e rre ra . F r i d a : 3 1 .; F ra z ie r.: 2 2 -2 4 .
35
14
from his lunch basket, teased his m odels, and one tim e she soaped the stairs
com ing dow n from the stage w here R ivera w as painting.r"
L ate in the afternoon
on Septem ber
17, 1925, Frida suffered a terrible
accident, that changed her life forever. O n her w ay hom e from the university
the bus she w as riding on collided w ith a trolley car. B odies flew
everyw here,
A lejandro
w as throw n under the trolley but received only m inor
injuries. Frida had been throw n from the bus as w ell. Som ehow
the force of
the im pact had ripped off her dress and blood covered her body. A passenger
had been carrying a bag of gold dust that burst from the im pact. W hen found
her body glistened
"la bailarina"
from blood m ixed w ith gold dust. W itnesses
called her
because she looked like a beautiful dancer am idst all the blood
and gore of the accident."
From the accident Frida suffered num erous afflictions: her spinal
colum n had been broken in three places in the lum bar region; her collarbone
and third and fourth ribs w ere broken; her right leg had eleven fractures and
right foot w as dislocated
and crushed; her left shoulder also dislocated;
pelvis w as broken in three places; an iron handrail penetrated
her
her abdom en
by entering through her left hip and tearing her left labia w hile exiting
37
38
Frazier.: 31.; H errera. Frida.: 31.
D rucker.: 25.; H errera. Frida.: 47.
15
th r o u g h
h e r v a g in a .j"
D u e to th e a c c id e n t F r id a a ls o s u f f e r e d
a n a c u te
p e r ito n itis ." W h e n f ir s t b r o u g h t to th e R e d C r o s s H o s p ita l, n o o n e e x p e c te d
h e r to liv e . H o w e v e r ,
O c to b e r
a f te r n u m e r o u s
1 7 , o n e m o n th
r e c o g n iz e d
b y d o c to r s
a f te r th e a c c id e n t.
r e s o lv e d
its e lf w ith in je c tio n s
c o n s ta n t
a " n o r m a l"
f a tig u e
n u m e ro u s
R e f le c tin g
espoused
to b e c o m e
and m assages.
had not been
F r id a im m o b iliz e d
A t th e r e m o v a l o f th e c o r s e t
o f h e r lif e r e v o lv e d
a r o u n d h e r m e d ic a l
p r o b le m s ,
s u r g ic a l p r o c e d u r e s .
u p o n h e r tr a g ic a n d p r o lif ic
th e im a g e th a t s h e d id s o m e th in g
lif e m a n y in M e x ic o
It g a v e
im a g in a tio n
h e r a p ic to r ia l
lis t th e d is lo c a tio n
p e r ito n itis :
a b d o m in o p e lv ic
m ir a c u lo u s
needed
have
F o r F r id a
to tr a n s f o r m
h e lp e d h e r w a lk th e r o a d , n o t o f lif e , b u t o f art.
th u s "
Frida. : 4 9 ;
Camera Seduced. S a n
of
a n d r ig h t le g , w h ic h n e v e r
to th e id e a th a t th e a c c id e n t w a s in a s e n s e , n o a c c id e n t.
'''H e r r e r a .
w ith
n u m b . T h is p h e n o m e n o n
lif e , b u t f r o m th e n o n s h e h a d s e n s a tio n s
h e r lif e . T h e a c c id e n t
" A c u te
hom e on
A f te r th r e e o r f o u r m o n th s o f th e c o r s e t
a n d a t tim e s p a in in h e r b a c k b o n e
le f t h e r . T h e r e m a in d e r
in c lu d in g
A s p in a l f r a c tu r e
f e lt h e r e n tir e r ig h t s id e b e c o m e
F r id a r e s u m e d
F r id a r e tu r n e d
u n til D r . O r tiz T ir a d o o r d e r e d
a p la s te r c o r s e t f o r n in e m o n th s .
F r id a s u d d e n ly
p ro c e d u re s
P o n ia to w s k a ,
w ith o u t h e r h a v in g to a v a il h e r s e lf
E le n a a n d C a r la S te llw e g .
o f th e
Frida Kahlo: The
F r a n c is c o : C h r o n ic le B o o k s , 1 9 9 2 : 1 7 .; T ib o l: 1 3 . A d d s to th e
o f le f t
e lb o w .
in f la m m a tio n o f th e p e r ito n e u m
( m e m b r a n e lin in g th e
w a lls ) ; a c o n d itio n m a r k e d b y e x u d a tio n s
in th e p e r ito n e u m
f ib r in , c e lls , a n d p u s . I t is a tte n d e d b y a b d o m in a l p a in a n d te n d e r n e s s ,
v o m itin g , a n d m o d e r a te f e v e r . C y s titis : in f la m m a tio n
o f se ru m ,
c o n s tip a tio n ,
o f th e u r in a r y b la d d e r .
16
w ealth o f art alread y in ex isten ce.,,4 !
It w as n o t u n til after th e accid en t th at
F rid a b eg an to p ain t. W h ile recu p eratin g
A s a p h o to g rap h er,
p h o to g rap h s.
G u illerm o
sh e ask ed to u se h er fath er's
K ah lo k ep t a b o x o f p ain ts fo r to u ch in g
In an effo rt to ease h er d au g h ter's
an h o n est o p in io n as to w h eth er
th at h e lo o k at h er w o rk an d g iv e
sh e sh o u ld co n tin u e p ain tin g .Y
D ieg o to o k
an in terest in th e y o u n g F rid a an d b eg an v isitin g h er in h er fath er's
D u rin g th is tim e F rid a also jo in ed th e C o m m u n ist
P arty h ad at least tw o p o ssib le attractio n s
S h e m ay h av e first b een fascin ated
lead ers w h ere also th e p ro m in en t
A lfaro S iq u eiro s,
ad m in istratio n
p ro m o ted
42
en o u g h to g o o u t sh e to o k a few o f h er
p ain tin g s to D ieg o R iv era. F rid a req u ested
C o m m u n ist
u p h is
p ain , M atild e K ah lo h ad a
sp ecial easel d esig n ed fo r F rid a th at co u ld b e u sed w h ile lay in g in b ed
O n ce F rid a reco v ered
p ain ts.
Jo se C lem en te
h o m e.
P arty . T h e
fo r th e y o u n g F rid a.
w ith th e p arty d u e to th e fact th at its
artists o f th e tim e: D ieg o R iv era, D av id
O ro zco , an d X av ier G u erro r. W ith th e
o f Jo se V asco n celo s,
th en m in ister o f p u b lic ed u catio n ,
th ey
th eir p o litics th ro u g h a d ram atic p u b lic-art p o licy . T h e P arty h eld
an o th er attractio n
fo r F rid a; th at o f th e in d ep en d en t
an d o u tg o in g w o m en
fro m w h o m F rid a so u g h t in sp iratio n . F o r ex am p le, h er frien d T in a M o d o tti,
4]
B illeter, E rik a. E d ito r.
The World ofFrida Kahlo: The Blue House. tran slated by
K ath leen Jam eso n -C em p er,
E d ith M . P ro ss an d A rtu ro S an ch es. F ran k fu rt am M ain :
S ch rin K u n sth alle, 1 9 9 3 : II.
K etten m an n n .: 1 8 .
42
43
H errera.
Frida.: 87.
17
w h o se "a u to n o m y
a n d b o h e m ia n
F rid a m a y h a v e a sp ire d ."
In th e su c c e e d in g
w ith A le ja n d ro
re la tio n sh ip
w a v e re d
had ended
45
life re p re se n te d
m o d e l to w h ic h
44
y e a rs fo llo w in g
F rid a 's
a c c id e n t h e r re la tio n sh ip
a n d b y Ju n e 1 9 2 8 , A le ja n d ro
S o o n a fte rw a rd s
D ie g o R iv e ra . T h e y w e re e v e n tu a lly
T h e ir w e d d in g
a p la u sib le
a n d F rid a 's
F rid a b e g a n a re la tio n sh ip
m a rrie d
w a s w id e ly re p o rte d
o n A u g u st 2 1 ,1 9 2 9 .
o n b y th e in te rn a tio n a l
th e lo c a l p re s s ." It w a s sa id to h a v e b e e n a m a rria g e
a n d a d o v e , w ith D ie g o b e in g a m id d le -a g e d
b e tw e e n
a n d o v e rw e ig h t
a s w e ll a s
a n e le p h a n t
m a n o f so m e
3 0 0 p o u n d s, w h ile F rid a w a s y o u n g a n d b a re ly w e ig h e d
1 0 0 p o u n d s.
N o n e th e le ss,
dependency
o th e r. F rid a 's
th e c o u p le se e m e d to fe e d o ff e a c h o th e r's
m a tc h , re fe rrin g
m e d ic a l e x p e n se s.
H e r m o th e r, h o w e v e r, d isa p p ro v e d
to D ie g o a s a n u g ly , fa t, 4 2 y e a r o ld C o m m u n ist
S to c k E x c h a n g e
L uncheon
(n o w S a n F ra n c isc o
4<5
and a non-
1 9 3 0 , F rid a a n d D ie g o m o v e d to S a n F ra n c isc o
D ie g o h a d b e e n g iv e n a c o m m issio n
45
o f th e
47
In N o v e m b e r
44
o f th e
fa th e r fa v o re d th e m a rria g e , D ie g o w a s ric h e n o u g h to a ffo rd
h is d a u g h te r's
C a th o lic
w ith
to p a in t m u ra ls in th e S a n F ra n c isc o
C lu b a n d th e C a lifo rn ia
S c h o o l o f F in e A rts
A rt In stitu te ). T h is w a s th e b e g in n in g
L o w e .: 1 9 -2 0 .
H e rre ra , Frida.: 80.
T h e M e x ic a n p a p e r La
w h e re
o f a fo u r y e a r sta y
Prensa c o v e re d th e w e d d in g in th e A u g u st 2 3 , 1 9 2 9 e d itio n .
18
in th e U n ite d
E lo e s s e r,
S ta te s . A m o n g
a fa m o u s
re fe r to E lo e s s e r
1 9 3 0 re g a rd in g
th o ra c ic
th e m a n y p e o p le
su rg e o n .
fo r m e d ic a l
h e r in ju re d
a d v ic e .
h a d a c c e p te d
in d u s try
S h e firs t c o n s u lte d
a c o m m is s io n
C o n s id e rin g
E lo e s s o r
o f h e r d o c to r
1 9 3 2 , F rid a
w a s ru sh e d
h is re s p o n s e
a d o c to r re g a rd in g
a d v is e d
A fte r h e a rin g
h e r to c o n tin u e
s h e d e c id e d
S h e h a d b e e n lo o s in g
w hen
h u g e c lo ts o f
Henry Ford Hospital
in re s p o n s e
49
T h is
a n d te rrify in g
a s o n e o f th e m o s t o rig in a l
o f h e r m o t h e r 's
Dr.
to fo llo w
s h e m is c a rrie d
le d F rid a to p a in t th e firs t o f a s e rie s o f b lo o d y
m is c a rria g e .
a b o rt
la te in th e n ig h t o n J u ly 3 ,
in to th e p re g n a n c y
th a t w e re to m a k e h e r k n o w n
w h e re
s e c tio n . F rid a w ro te h e r frie n d
H o w e v e r,
to th e h o s p ita l.
h e r tim e . S h e firs t p a in te d
of
D e tro it
p e lv is , F rid a fe lt s h e s h o u ld
h e r in D e tro it
h e a rin g
in D e tro it.
b l o o d . F r i d a w a s 3 1 ;2 m o n t h s
p o rtra its
F rid a c o n s u lte d
a n d h a v e a C a e sa re a n
th e c o u n s e l
to D e tro it
to p a in t m u ra ls c e le b ra tin g
her dam aged
fo r a d v ic e , b u t b e fo re
e x p e rie n c e
th e c o u p le tra v e le d
in D e tro it,
th e fe tu s . T h e d o c to r w h o e x a m in e d
w ith th e p re g n a n c y
h im in D e c e m b e r
s p i n e ."
in A p ril 1 9 3 2 . W h ile
b e in g p re g n a n t.
w as L eo
F o r th e re s t o f h e r life F rid a w o u ld
A fte r th e ir s ta y in S a n F ra n c is c o ,
D ie g o
F rid a b e frie n d e d
p a in te rs
s e lf-
of
to h e r
illn e s s a n d s u b s e q u e n t
d e a th ,
Frida.: 99.
47
H e rre ra .
48
I b i d .: 1 2 0 .
49
I b i d .: 1 4 0 - 3 ; K a m i n , 4 4 - 5 0 ; F r a z i e r , 4 9 .
19
F r id a p a in te d
My Birth.
B o th p a in tin g s b e lo n g to a s e r ie s d e p ic tin g in c id e n ts
. h e r 1'",
rre . 50
In
O n c e D ie g o f in is h e d th e m u r a l in D e tr o it th e c o u p le tr a v e le d to N e w
Y o r k , a n d e v e n tu a lly h o m e to M e x ic o . A y e a r la te r , D ie g o b e g a n a n a f f a ir
w ith F r id a 's s is te r C r is tin a . A t o n e p o in t d u r in g th e a f f a ir , F r id a m o v e d o u t
o f th e h o u s e . A lth o u g h th is w a s n o t D ie g o 's f ir s t a f f a ir , th is w a s th e f ir s t o f
m a n y s e p a r a tio n s . A s a lw a y s h a p p e n e d w h e n D ie g o s to p p e d p a y in g a tte n tio n
to F r id a , h e r h e a lth d e c lin e d . T h u s , a t th e s a m e tim e a s th e a f f a ir , F r id a w a s
h o s p ita liz e d a t le a s t th r e e tim e s . T h e f ir s t tim e to h a v e h e r a p p e n d ix
r e m o v e d . N e x t s h e h a d a n a b o r tio n p e r f o r m e d a f te r th r e e m o n th s o f
p r e g n a n c y . F in a lly , s h e h a d a n o p e r a tio n d u e to f o o t p r o b le m s th a t h a d
tr o u b le d h e r e a r lie r a n d h a d s in c e g r o w n w o r s e ."
T h e tr a g ic a c c id e n t th a t F r id a s u f f e r e d in h e r y o u th tr a n s f o r m e d h e r
f r o m a s c h o o l g ir l in to a y o u n g w o m a n w ith a n in w a r d lo o k in g s id e o f
d e p r e s s io n a n d lo n e lin e s s . L ik e w is e , D ie g o 's a f f a ir w ith C r is tin a c h a n g e d
h e r f r o m a n a d m ir in g b r id e in to a c o m p lic a te d w o m a n . S h e c o u ld n o lo n g e r
b e th e m e r e w if e to h e r 'im p o r ta n t' h u s b a n d , s h e n o w h a d to b e
in d e p e n d e n t.
52
E v e n tu a lly F r id a f o r g a v e C r is tin a a n d e v e n D ie g o . O n c e
50
I b id .: 1 4 3 - 4 , 1 5 4 - 7 .
5\
B ille te r .
52
H e rre ra .
The World of Frida Kahla:
Frida.. 192.
2 5 0 .; H e r r e r a .
Frida: 182.
20
re u n ite d th e c o u p le 's
h o m e b e c a m e a M e c c a fo r th e in te rn a tio n a l
in te llig e n tsia .
O n Ja n u a ry 9 , 1 9 3 7 , L e o n a n d N a ta lia T ro tsk y c a m e to M e x ic o .
D ie g o h a d p e rso n a lly
re q u e ste d
T h e y w e re to sta y in F rid a 's
a sy lu m fo r th e m fro m P re sid e n t
h o m e in C o y o a c a n .f
a ffa ir w ith C ristin a , b u t to n o a v a il. H o w e v e r,
C a rd e n a s.
T ro tsk y a tte m p te d
an
fo r F rid a to h a v e a n a ffa ir
w ith T ro tsk y m a y h a v e se e m e d th e p e rfe c t re v e n g e a g a in st D ie g o 's
a ffa ir
w ith h e r siste r. F rid a w a s 2 9 , T ro tsk y w a s in h is 6 0 s. D u e to T ro tsk y 's
e n to u ra g e
w h o fe a re d a sc a n d a l if th e a ffa ir b e c a m e p u b lic , it e n d e d a s
T ro tsk y le ft F rid a 's
h o u se o n Ju ly 7 , to sta y a t a fa rm fo r a w h ile .
F rid a b e g a n to p u rsu e h e r p ro fe ssio n a l
54
c a re e r a s a p a in te r in m o re
e a rn e st o n c e th is a ffa ir h a d e n d e d . S h e p a in te d o n a m o re re g u la r b a sis a n d
b e g a n d e v e lo p in g
to w a rd
h e r te c h n ic a l
sk ills
55
N e v e rth e le ss,
F rid a 's
h e r w o rk n e v e r tru ly b e c a m e th a t o f a p ro fe ssio n a l.
fo r e x h ib itio n s,
p a tro n s, o r re v ie w s a s d id o th e r p ro fe ssio n a l
D ie g o w h o e n c o u ra g e d
th e A m e ric a n
..
p a in tin g s.
a ttitu d e
S h e n e v e r p u sh e d
a rtists.
It w a s
th e sa le o f h e r a rt w o rk . In 1 9 3 8 , D ie g o c o n v in c e d
film sta r E d w a rd G . R o b in so n
to b u y fo u r o f F rid a 's
56
53
K e tte n m a n n n .:
54
H e rre ra .
4 1 .; H e rre ra .
Frida: 204.
Frida: 2 0 9 -1 0 .
"lb id :2 1 5 .
56
B ille te r.
The World of Frida Kahlo: 2 5 1 .; H e rre ra . Frida.: 228.
21
In A pril of 1938, the surrealist poet and essayist A ndre B reton cam e
to M exico to see T rotsky. B reton believed M exico to be a surrealist nation
and labeled F rida a surrealist, stating that her w ork w as "a ribbon around a
bom b"S 7 B reton convinced
F rida to take part in an exhibit in P aris in 1939.
P rior to this F rida exhibited
at N ew Y ork's
w rote an essay on her for the exhibition
In O ctober
Julien L evy G allery, and B reton
brochure
58
1938, F rida left M exico w ith photographer
M uray, w ith w hom she w as having an affair, for her exhibition
N ickolas
in N ew
Y ork. T he exhibit w as w ell received. E ven though it w as during the
D epression
E ra, half of the paintings
sold.
In January,
during a period in
w hich an unstable E urope verged on w ar, F rida sailed for F rance. T his
experience
w as less fulfilling than the one in N ew Y ork. T he exhibit B reton
had prom ised
w hile in M exico had been delayed. A lso due to the rising
threat of w ar, the exhibition
follow -up
canceled
57
w as not financially successful. A dditionally,
exhibit had been scheduled
a
in a L ondon gallery, but w as
59
"B om b B eribboned"
Time. N ovem ber 14, 1938: 29. T his appears to be the first
international printing that focuses on F rida K ablo rather than m erely m entioning her as
the 'w ife' of m uralist D iego R ivera. T hus this is the first indication of F rida as an artist
in her ow n right.
58 H errera. Frida: 228.
59
K ettenm annn.:
51.; B illeter, E rika. "F rida K ahlo" Southwest Art. V 23n3, A ugust I,
1993: 94. O ne of the her pieces sold to the L ouvre. It is now located in the C entre
G eorges P om pidou.
22
D u r in g
th e A m e r ic a n
h e r s ta y in P a r is , F r id a b e c a m e
H o s p ita l
F r id a e la b o r a te d
f o r a " c o lib a c te r ia l
u p o n h e r c o n d itio n
s ic k a n d h a d to s p e n d tim e in
in f la m m a tio n
in a le tte r to E lla a n d B e r tr a m
Y o u s e e , I h a d m y b e lly f u ll o f a n a r c h is ts
th e m
w o u ld
in te s tin e s .
escape
T r o ts k y .
I f e lt th a t u n til th is m o m e n t
la pelona
O n c e F r id a r e tu r n e d
to M e x ic o ,
th e y h a d b e g u n
F r a n c is c o
q u e s tio n in g
B ecause
in te r r o g a te d
D ie g o
w ith F r id a 's
f r ie n d
S a n F r a n c is c o .
c o m p a r is o n ,
60
H e rre ra .
B ille te r .
s h e a n d D ie g o
s e p a r a te d .
F r id a 's
By
D ie g o m o v e d to S a n
m o v e , h o w e v e r,
to a n a s s a s s in a tio n
w a s d u e in p a r t to
a tte m p t m a d e o n
h e a lth a ls o b e g a n to d e c lin e . D ie g o
D r . E lo e s s e r
u p F r id a a n d
c o n s u lte d
w h o w r o te F r id a a n d a s k e d h e r to c o m e to
o n e y e a r a f te r th e d iv o r c e , F r id a d e c id e d
c o n v in c e d
on D ecem ber
8 ,1 9 4 0 ,
th e c o u p le to r e m a r r y 6 2
o n D ie g o 's
w a s o n ly 3 0 . T h e ir r e la tio n s h ip
s e lf - c o n f id e n c e
61
w a s g o in g to ta k e m e a w a y "
h o u r s a n d h e ld h e r in ja il f o r tw o d a y s .? '
D r . E lo e s s e r
to r e m a r r y
w a s h o p e le s s
h a d f le d th e c o u n tr y , th e p o lic e p ic k e d
I n S e p te m b e r ,
to S a n F r a n c is c o .
a n d e v e ry o n e o f
th e s itu a tio n
p r o c e e d in g s .
D ie g o 's
in r e g a r d s
h e r f o r tw e lv e
M e a n w h ile ,
d e c id e d
d iv o r c e
s h o r tly a f te r w a r d s .
fro m
W o lf e :
h a v e p u t a b o m b in s o m e c o r n e r o f m y p o o r
s in c e I w a s s u r e th a t
S e p te m b e r
o f th e k id n e y s ."
th
had changed,
a n d f in a n c ia l a n d s e x u a l in d e p e n d e n c e
Frida.: 241-3.
The World ofFrida Kahlo:
54
2 5 6 .; H e r r e r a .
b ir th d a y
to f ly
T hey
F r id a , in
F r id a h a d " g a in e d
a n d w a s a r e c o g n iz e d
Frida: 295-7.
23
artist.,,63 F rida returned to M exico before D iego did
64
S hortly after her
return her father died, sending her into a state of depression. 65
In the early 1940s, the threat of a w orld w ar increased
tensions. W hen, in 1941, S talin's
international
belated opposition to H itler led the
G erm ans to invade R ussia, F rida drew closer to the C om m unist
M exico began experiencing
an econom ic
being in heavy dem and for A m erican
P arty.
boom due to its raw m aterials
arm am ent factories
66
It w as during
this tim e that, perhaps as a result of the acclaim that cam e from her
exhibitions
abroad, and from her participation
E xhibition
of S urrealism '"
m om entum .
also received
in cultural organizations,
published
in M exico C ity, F rida's
A long w ith recognition
a teaching
an occasional
in the big International
career took on
cam e patrons and com m issions.
position, a prize, and a fellow ship.
conferences,
F rida
S he participated
and art projects. A dditionally,
she
article." S he took part in at least tw enty group
exhibits. T w o of the m ost w ell know n exhibits w ere: "T w enty
C enturies
of
H errera. Frida: 298.; "M r. and M rs. R ivera A gain" Art Digest. D ecem ber 15, 1940:
8.; B illeter. The World of Frida Kahlo: 256.
63 K ettenrnann.: 57.
64 "D iego to C om e L ater" Art Digest. January I, 1941: 23.
65 H errera. Frida: 310.
66 K ettem nann.: 61:
67 D el C onde, T eresa. "F rida K ahlo P intora" in Frida Kahlo: exposicion nacional de
homenaje. M exico C ity: Instituto N acional de B ellas A rtes, 1977.
68 H errera. Frida.: 316.
62
24
M e x ic a n
A rt" a t N e w
A rt T o d a y "
Y o rk 's
e x h ib it a t P h ila d e lp h ia
w a s a ls o re c o m m e n d e d
In re s p o n s e
m em ber
M useum
to F rid a 's
in c re a s in g
o f A rt
A rt;6 9 a n d th e " M e x ic a n
70
. th e M e x ic a n
d o m in a n t
p a in tin g
a rtis ts a n d in te lle c tu a ls
w ho espoused
le c tu re s , e x h ib itio n s ,
'a rt s c e n e '
h a d b e g u n c h a n g in g
a n d p u b lic a tio n s .
A ls o b y th is tim e
a s w e ll. M u ra ls w e re s till th e
a rt fo rm , y e t th e y d id n o t ta k e s u c h s tro n g p re c e d e n c e
B y 1 9 4 4 , F rid a 's
p ro c e d u re s
s h e u n d e rw e n t
done.
th e id e a ls
h e rs e lf a s a n a rtis t.
in m o s t o f th e m a jo r g ro u p e x h ib itio n s .
a s th e y h a d p re v io u s ly
c o n c lu d e d
b y M e y e r S c h a p ir o ."
in 1 9 4 2 . T h is o rg a n iz a tio n
B y th e e n d o f th e 1 9 4 0 s , F rid a h a d e s ta b lis h e d
S h e w a s in c lu d e d
th is tim e F rid a
s h e w a s c h o s e n to b e a fo u n d in g
M e x ic a n a
c u ltu re th ro u g h
D u rin g
s c h o la rs h ip
re p u ta tio n
d e C u ltu ra
w a s m a d e u p o f tw e n ty -fiv e
M e x ic a n
M useum
fo r a G u g g e n h e im
o f th e S e m in a rio
o f s p re a d in g
o f M o d e rn
over easel
72
h e a lth b e g a n d e c lin in g
o n c e m o re . A fte r n u m e ro u s
b o n e s u rg e ry a s w e ll a s a b a tte ry o f te s ts w h ic h
th a t s h e m ig h t h a v e s y p h ilis
73
In 1 9 4 6 , F rid a tra v e le d to N e w Y o rk w ith h e r s is te r C ris tin a .
She
w e n t to c o n s u lt w ith D r. P h ilip D . W ils o n . U n d e r h is c a re s h e u n d e rw e n t
69
a
" M e x ic o 's A rt T h ro u g h T w e n ty C e n tu rie s In s ta lle d in M o d e m M u s e u m " Art Digest.
J u n e 1 , 1 9 4 0 : 1 5 & 3 4 .; B ille te r. The World of Frida Kahlo.: 256.
7 0 G ra fly , D o ro th y . " D e e p ly N a tio n a l A rt o f O ld M e x ic o P re s e n te d in P h ila d e lp h ia ."
Art Digest A p ril 1 5 , 1 9 4 3 : 8 .
The World of Frida Kahlo.: 11.
71
B ille te r.
72
H e rre ra . Frida.: 3 1 9 .
25
d iffic u lt su rg ic a l o p e ra tio n w h e re a p ie c e o f b o n e fro m h e r p e lv is w a s
re m o v e d a n d p la c e d in h e r sp in a l c o lu m n .I" A fte r th e o p e ra tio n sh e w a s
m a d e to w e a r a n iro n c o rse t. A t first sh e a p p e a re d to re c o v e r w e ll, e v e n
th o u g h sh e w a s re stric te d to b e in g b e d rid d e n . H o w e v e r, a fte r h e r re tu rn to
M e x ic o , F rid a 's c o n d itio n d e te rio ra te d . F rid a b e c a m e p ro n e to m o o d sw in g s,
fro m e u p h o ria to d e e p d e p re ssio n , a n d e v e n o c c a sio n a l fits o f p a ra n o ia . S h e
b e c a m e v io le n t a t tim e s. T o e a se th e c o n sta n t p a in sh e c o n su m e d la rg e
q u a n titie s o f a lc o h o l. S h e a lso b e c a m e a d d ic te d to d o se s o f D e m e ro l a n d
o th e r d ru g s." F rid a b e c a m e o b se sse d w ith h e r m e d ic a l c o n d itio n a s h e r
h e a lth w o rse n e d . B y th is tim e sh e w a s a lso se e in g a p sy c h ia trist. 7 6
E v e n w ith th e e x tre m e p a in fro m h e r o p e ra tio n F rid a c o n tin u e d to
p a in t. S h e h a d b e e n e le c te d to re c e iv e a g o v e rn m e n t g ra n t a n d w a s a w a rd e d
a p riz e fro m th e S e c re ta ria d e E d u c a c io n P u b lic a .
77
F o r th e n e x t fe w y e a rs
sh e to o k p a rt in m a n y g ro u p e x h ib its in M e x ic o . H o w e v e r, b y 1 9 4 9 h e r
h e a lth b e g a n to d e te rio ra te fu rth e r.
In M a rc h o f 1 9 5 0 , F rid a u n d e rw e n t a n o th e r su rg e ry o n h e r sp in e .
T h is p ro v e d to b e d isa stro u s, th e in se rte d b o n e b e c a m e in fe c te d a n d h a d to
73
W a sse rm a n
a n d K a h n te sts w e re g iv e n to F rid a n u m e ro u s tim e s. O n ly o n c e d id th e
te sts p ro v e p o sitiv e fo r sy p h ilis, th u s n e v e r a b le to p o sitiv e ly p ro v e th a t sh e h a d th e
d ise a se .
The World of Frida Kahlo.: 2 5 8 .; T ib o l: 1 6 -1 7 .
74
B ille te r.
75
A c c o rd in g to th e D S M 4 F rid a w a s su ffe rin g fro m a se v e re c a se o f d e p re ssio n .
76
Z a m o ra .:
1 1 8 . F rid a w a s th e first w o m a n
77
B ille te r,
The World ofFrida Kahlo.: 258.
in M e x ic o to u n d e rg o p sy c h o a n a ly sis.
26
be rem oved
Frida's
in July78 T his operation m ade seven thus far on her spine alone.
sister M atilde w rote to D r. E loesser describing the details:
on rem oving one of her orthopedic
corsets, the m edical
staff found a purulent abscess, w hich again sent her to the
operating room , how the sm ell of 'a dead dog' em anated
from another w ound that w ould not heal, and how the
blackened
tips of the toes of Frida's
spontaneously.
infected foot fell off
79
L ola A lvarez B ravo, ow ner of the G aleria A rte C ontem poraneo
decided to hold a solo exhibit of Frida's
w ork in 1953. T his w as her first
solo exhibit in the country of her birth. Frida's
health w as so bad that
doctors advised her not to attend the opening reception. H ow ever, nothing
could deter Frida from the gallery that night. She had ordered her bed to be
delivered to the gallery and set in the center w here she w ould be surrounded
by her paintings.
T he gallery w as sw arm ing w ith hundreds of people trying
to get in to see if the artist w ould actually m ake an appearance
am bulance
w hen an
pulled up in front of the gallery. Frida w as carried into the gallery
on a stretcher and placed upon her bed. D ressed in her T ehuana clothing
Frida entertained
A nita B renner
her guests from her bed.
In
describing the event author
stated "T he room w as filled w ith energy, all of it focused on
"Ibid.: 259.; Z am ora.: 122.; K ettenm ann.: 79.
Z am ora.: 122.
79
27
F rida, w ho drew it in like oxygen. P eople lined up to greet her, pay her
hom age, but there w as also a feeling they w ere saying good bye. ,,8 0
S hortly after her solo exhibit, F rida's
gangrene.
S he knew the am putation
disintegration.
right foot w as am putated
w ould be the beginning
due to
of her com plete
S he refused to w alk, to see anyone, or to paint for som e tim e
after the operation.
In her art she exposed her physical pain and her broken
heart but in real life she tried to hide the fact that she w anted attention for
her suffering and pain. M any authors say that she did not w ant to endure pity
from others
81
A diary entry of A pril 27, 1954, suggests a recovery from a crisis,
possibly a suicide attem pt. F rida had been hospitalized
through 27, and again from M ay 6 through
12
82
from A pril 19
B y this tim e F rida had lost
control of both her physical and m ental states. H er dependence
increased
as she consum ed
convalescing
large quantities of alcohol. W hile still
from bronchial pneum onia,
dem onstration
protesting
on drugs had
US.
intervention
on July 2, she took part in a
in G uatem ala.
L ess than tw o
w eeks later, on July 13, F rida w as reported dead. T he official report claim ed
80
B renner, A nita. "P artial R etrospective at B ravo G allery" Art News. V 52, June 1953:
55.; A lso see: D rucker.: 138.
81 D rucker:
140. H ow ever, those in the P sychological field believe K ahlo suffered from
the psychological
condition of M unchausen syndrom e in w hich a person w illingly
undergoes unnecessary m edical procedures or over-exaggerates existing conditions in
order to gain attention and pity. F or further inform ation see: H errera, H ayden. "F rida
28
h e r d e a th w a s d u e to p u lm o n a ry e m b o lism S o m e , h o w e v e r, b e lie v e it to
h ave b een
. id e . 8 3
S U lC I
T h e la st p a g e in F rid a 's d ia ry is a p a in tin g w h ic h is d e sc rib e d b y th e
e d ito r o f h e r p u b lish e d d ia ry a s a n
im a g e o f a p o c a ly p tic c h a o s a n d re c k o n in g , o f tra n sfig u ra tio n
a n d tra n sp o rta tio n . T h e h e a v e n s o p e n , th e sk y is b a th e d in a
p in k lig h t, ra in a n d su n sh in e o c c u r sim u lta n e o u sly . W h o is
th e g re e n -w in g e d c re a tu re w h o flo a ts to w a rd th e e d g e s o f th e
p a g e ? T h e c ro w n im p lie s it is a so v e re ig n o f h e a v e n , b u t its
b la c k e n e d , w ra p p e d le g s a n d tra il o f b lo o d sp e a k o fK a h lo 's
w h o lly su b je c tiv e im a g e o f h e rse lf. T h e d e a th sh e m o c k e d b u t
a lso fe a re d , th e e n d sh e lo n g e d fo r b u t fo u g h t v a lia n tly a g a in st,
.
h e r. 8 4
[S u p o n
A fe w p a g e s e a rlie r F rid a w ro te in h e r d ia ry , "I h o p e th e le a v in g is jo y fu la n d I h o p e n e v e r to re tu rn . ,,8 5 A lth o u g h F rid a w ro te th is in re g a rd to le a v in g
th e h o sp ita l m a n y b e lie v e th e re is a d o u b le m e a n in g in h e r w o rd s, re fe rrin g
to h e r fre q u e n t th o u g hts o f d e a th .
86
F rid a 's life in sp ire d n u m e ro u s o th e r liv e s in th e c o u n try o f h e r b irth
a s w e ll a s o u tsid e . S h o rtly a fte r h e r d e a th M e x ic a n n e w sp a p e rs b e g a n
K a h lo : T h e P a le tte , th e P a in , a n d th e P a in te r" A rtfo ru m .
M a rc h 1 9 8 3 : 6 6 ; L ip sitt, D o n
R. "T h e M u n c h a u se n M y ste ry " P sych o lo g y T o d a y. F e b ru a ry 1 9 8 3 : 7 8 -7 9 .
82
B ille te r. T h e W o rld o f F rid a K a h lo .: 2 6 1 .
83
H e rre ra . F rid a .: 4 2 1 -4 3 1 .
84
T h e D ia ry o f F rid a K a h lo : A n In tim a te S elf-P o rtra it.
In tro d u c tio n b y C a rlo s
F u e n te s, e ssa y a n d c o m m e n ta rie s b y S a ra h M . L o w e . N e w Y o rk : H a rry N . A b ra m s,
1995: 287.
85
Ib id .: 2 8 5 .
86
H e rre ra . F rid a .: 3 4 5 -6 .
29
p u b lis h in g
a r tic le s
c e le b r a tin g
s u c h a r tic le b y A n to n io
h e r lif e a n d s p e a k in g
R o d r ig u e z
f o r h e r h e r o is m
o v e r c o m in g
to th e d is a s tr o u s
p ro v e d
it, p r o d u c e d
e x p r e s s iv e
w o r th y
T h is s ta te m e n t
o f f ig u r in g ,
in d ic a te s
h o n o r s h e w a s th o u g h t
to g e th e r
how
th a t
deep and
a r tis t f r o m
M e x ic o
w ith S is te r I n e s o f th e C r o s s , b e s id e
lo v e d F r id a w a s in M e x ic o
o f . I t a ls o a llu d e s
a ls o b e in g
re m e m b e re d
f o r h e r 'tr a g ic '
a n d to w h a t g r e a t
to th e f a c t o f h e r b e c o m in g
w ith th e r e v e r e d
a s a in t o f th e a f f lic te d ,
R o d r ig u e z ,
e f f e c ts o f th e tr a g e d y , s is te r to
la w . F o r th a t r e a s o n th e tr a g e d y
o f th e ir c o u n tr y 8 7
h e r in a s s o c ia tio n
S7
th e b lo w s o f lif e ,
in h e r o n e o f th e m o s t v ig o r o u s ,
b y p la c in g
becom e
in d o m in a tin g
a r tis ts o f o u r d a y s : th e o n ly w o m a n
th e h ig h e s t v a lu e s
O ne
s ta te s :
F r id a K a h lo
th o s e m e n o f e x c e p tio n a l
o f h e r in f lu e n c e .
a n ic o n
S is te r I n e s o f th e C r o s s . S h e is
lif e , th a t w h ic h
la te r m a k e s h e r
a n d a n ic o n f o r s u f f e r in g .
A n to n io . " F r id a K a h lo : h e r o in e d e l d o lo r "
Novedades.
J u ly
17,
1955: 4.
30
IC O N
FOR
M E D IC A L
P S Y C H O L O G IC A L
A m ong
w ho
have
th e n u m e ro u s
p e rs o n a lly
re m e m b e re d
am ong
o th e rs
p a in fu l
tim e s
in te n s ity
.
w in g s
w h ile
c h e e rfu l
d e s p a irin g
th e im a g e
H o rto n ,
o n F rid a
a s a c h e e rfu l
she w as
b
.
e a tin g ."
F r i d a 's
h e r c lin ic a l
b y th o s e
p e rso n
fu ll o fla u g h te r,
fo r b e in g
som e
lo v e d
h a v e su ffe re d
a lw a y s
lig h t-h e a rte d
o f th e m o s t p h y s ic a lly
life w ith
a fo rc e ,
" w ith
th e
d e e p ly ,
or have
h e a rd
th e
88
frie n d s
h is to ry
re m e m b e r
re c o rd s
s id e . T h e p u b lic a tio n
o f F rid a
w ho
a re se v e ra l
th e a rtis t. S h e is ty p ic a lly
liv in g th ro u g h
o f h e r life . It is s a id th a t F rid a
. h
eat
K a h lo
S h e is re m e m b e re d
th a t is th e g ift o f th o s e
0f d
P R O F E S S IO N S
a n d in te rv ie w e d
w ritin g s
h e r g u e s ts .
even
A lth o u g h
88
know n
in th e s e
a b le to e n te rta in
w ritin g s
AND
o f F r i d a 's
a s th e " T ra g e d y
A n n e . " F rid a m a n ia "
a n o th e r
b e in g
happy
s id e o f h e r life , a d a rk
tra g ic
P rin c e s s
Art & Auction.
h e r a s a lw a y s
c lin ic a l
o f m o d e rn
V 14n4
(N o v .
h is to ry
and
and
h a s le d to
a rt, o u r L a d y
of
1 , 1 9 9 1 ): 1 2 7 .
31
S o rro w s. ,,8 9 T h is im a g e re fle c ts th e n u m e ro u s
e x e rc ise d
h e r p h y sic a l su ffe rin g s.
se lf-p o rtra its
in w h ic h sh e
It w a s th ro u g h h e r a rt th a t F rid a w a s a b le
to c o p e w ith h e r p h y sic a l p a in .
It is F rid a 's
a b ility to liv e th ro u g h
h e r su ffe rin g s th a t, in th e la te
1 9 8 0 s, h a s g a in e d th e in te re st o f th o se in th e m e d ic a l a n d p sy c h o lo g ic a l
p ro fe ssio n s.
T h e re a re th o se in th e m e d ic a l fie ld w h o lo o k to F rid a 's
fo r a m e a n s o f u n d e rsta n d in g
su ffe rin g ,
a n d th e a b ility to o v e r c o m e it. L ik e w ise ,
F rid a 's
w o rk fo r e x p la n a tio n s
p a in tin g s
c h a p te rs
w om en
c re e p fro m F rid a 's
h e r m a rria g e s
d e a th . T h ro u g h
fie ld lo o k s to
sh e e n d u re d . H e r
d e ta il p a in fu l a n d e m o tio n a l
p a in tin g s a s sh e c h a rts h e r
to D ie g o R iv e ra , p h y sic a l p a in , a n d a p p ro a c h in g
th e m a n y a tta c k s to h e r b o d y F rid a h a s b e e n a b le to re m a in
in th e fa c e o f a d v e rsity " 9 0 th ro u g h h e r a rt. A s sta te d b y a u th o r
S o u th g a te ,
im p e rso n a l
"sh e fo u n d a w a y to d isc u ss illn e ss th a t w e n t b e y o n d th e
o b je c tiv e te rm s o f th e n a tu ra l sc ie n c e s to th e in te n se ly p e rso n a l
a n d su b je c tiv e
89
o f th e m e n ta l su ffe rin g
o f su ffe rin g
in a life th a t w a s b o th b iz a rre a n d u n iv e rsa l. Im a g e s o f d a m a g e d
m isc a rria g e s,
T h e re se
th e p sy c h o lo g ic a l
re c o rd w ith p re c ise a u to b io g ra p h ic a l
a n d v io la te d
"stro n g
o r a t le a st th e d e p ic tio n
w o rk
la n g u a g e
o f c o lo r a n d fo rm .,,9 l
Ib id .: 1 2 8 .
90 K n a fo , D a n ie lle . "T h e M irro r, th e M a sk , a n d th e M a sq u e ra d e in th e Art a n d L ife o f
F rid a K a h lo " The Annual of psychoanalysis. V 2 1 , 1 9 9 3 :2 2 7 .
9 1 S o u th g a te , M . T h e re se . T h e C o v e r: JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical
Association. V 2 6 5 n 2 (Ja n u a ry 9 , 1 9 9 1 ): 1 6 9 .
32
Frida's art thus became of interest to the medical field as exemplified
in an article entitled
Medical imagery in the art of Frida Kahlon This
article, co-authored
in 1989, by an art history student and a nurse, sparked an
interest in Frida that caught fire in the medical profession.
Since then articles
in medical journals have discussed Frida's life as well as her art. W ith this
advent medical professionals
began looking at her art as a source of
inspiration.
By the late 1980s the medical profession had begun discussing
courses on enhancing
education.
caring skills, particularly among the nursing
Such courses include discussions on art, literature, poetry, and
music. In the early 1990s Dr. Darbyshire began using the art of Frida Kahlo
in the course he designed entitled
Understanding Caring Through Arts and
Humanities. This course, taught at the Department of Nursing and
Community
Health at Glasgow Caledonian University, is the first of its kind
in the United Kingdom."
The ideal of the course is the introduction
of an
educational approach to promote more esthetic and less
instrumental thinking and understanding. This approach
enables nurses to gain a deeper understanding of the lived
experiences of suffering, chronic pain, miscarriage, and
92 Lomas, David. and Howell, Rosemary. "Medical imagery in the art of Frida Kah!o"
British Medical Journal. V299, 1584-87.
93 Darbyshire, Philip. Ph.D., MN. "Understanding caring through arts and humanities"
Journal of Advanced Nursing. V19, 1994: 856-863.
33
d is a b ility th ro u g h
F rid a K a h l0
e n g a g in g
w ith th e a rt o f M e x ic a n
p a in te r
94
T h ro u g h
th is c o u rs e te a c h e r a n d s tu d e n t w o rk to g e th e r th ro u g h
d ia lo g u e
o f a v a rie ty o f a rtw o rk
h u m a n e x p e rie n c e s
accom pany
a rtw o rk
in o rd e r to g a in a d e e p e r u n d e rs ta n d in g
o f illn e s s a n d d is a b ility
e a c h s itu a tio n s .
95
of
a s w e ll a s th e c a re w h ic h s h o u ld
T h is p ro c e s s is b e s t d o n e th ro u g h v ie w in g
d u e to th e fa c t th a t a n a rtis t's
m o re v iv id o r p o w e rfu l.
s tu d y a n d
p o rtra y a l o f h u m a n e x p e rie n c e
T h e im p o rta n c e
re m a rk m a d e b y S ta rc k a n d M c G o v e rn
is o fte n
o f th is c la s s is m a d e e v id e n t in a
w h e n d is c u s s in g
s u ffe rin g :
O fte n it c a n n o t b e s e e n o n th e s u rfa c e b e c a u s e w e h u m a n s
h id e o u r s u ffe rin g
a s w e a tte m p t to d is g u is e o u r v u ln e ra b ility .
A fte r a ll w e liv e in a s o c ie ty th a t d o e s n o t e n c o u ra g e
o r th e a d m is s io n
o f s u ffe rin g
of w eakness,
re m a in
in v is ib le
w eakness
o n e th a t p re fe rs th a t th e u g lin e s s
96
T h e w o rk o f F rid a K a h lo is u s e d in th is c o u rs e d u e to its p o w e rfu l
im p a c t u p o n th e v ie w e rs ,
F rid a 's
a re to e x a m in e
w o rk to lo o k fo r " n e w w a y s o f th in k in g , le a rn in g , a n d u n d e rs ta n d in g
in re la tio n
to th e liv e d e x p e rie n c e
w o rk is e s p e c ia lly
p e rs o n a l
in th is c a s e s tu d e n ts . S tu d e n ts
b io g ra p h y .
re v e a lin g
F rid a 's
o f h u m a n s u ffe rin g .,,9 7
F rid a K a h lo ' s
b e c a u s e o f its in tim a te re la tio n s h ip
tra g ic c lin ic a l h is to ry in c lu d e d
w ith h e r
m is g u id e d
9 4 D a rb y s h ire , P h ilip , P h .D ., M N . " U n d e rs ta n d in g th e L ife o f illn e s s : L e a rn in g th ro u g h
th e a rt o f F rid a K a h lo ." Ans., advances in nursing science. V I7 n l (S e p te m b e r I,
1994) 51.
9 5 Ib id .: 5 2 -5 3 .
9 6 S ta rc k , P L a n d M c G o v e rn , J P . The Hidden Dimension
of Illness: Human Suffering.
N e w Y o rk : N a tio n a l L e a g u e o f N u rs in g , 1 9 9 2 : x i.
34
surgery as w ell as forcing her to spend m onths in bedrest. S he had to w ear a
succession
of orthopedic
body braces, w hich often caused painful skin ulcers
and abscesses. T hroughout
her life F rida w ore tw enty-eight
corsets; one of
steel, three of leather, and the rest of p laster." A t least tw enty-five
w ere taken of her spine, right leg and foot
prevented
her from carrying a pregnancy
.
.
m iscam
ages
an d at least
east tw o aaborti
ortions.
B y view ing F rida's
the reactions
99
X -rays
T he dam age to F rida's
pelvis
to term , thus she endured three
100
w ork students are offered the opportunity
of a patient w ho has greatly suffered, experiencing
to study
m ore than
the average person could bear in their lives. L om as and H ow ell noted that
"in W estern
art scenes of childbirth are rare and visual accounts of abortion
or m iscarriage
w om en's
non-existent.
,,1 0 1
F rida K ahlo occupied this m ost forbidden
spaces in her paintings of children and m iscarriages.
F rida's
pain w as not only physical. S he suffered m ental anguish from
her m arriage
to a philandering
m iscarriages
and other physical sufferings. T herefore,
97
98
99
100
!O I
of
husband on top of the anguish of her
F rida K ahle's
art is
D arbyshire. "U nderstanding the L ife of Illness": 53.
H errera. Frida. : 345-6.
Ibid.: 349.
D arbyshire. "U nderstanding the L ife of Illness": 53.
L om as D , and H ow ell R .: 1584.
35
extrem ely
useful in prom oting the skills of caring. A ccording
to D r.
D arbyshire
H er w ork addresses hum an experiences such
disability, illness, loneliness, hospitalization,
and em otional distress and reveals a strength
elevates Frida from being m erely a suffering
as pain,
m iscarriage,
of spirit that
victim . 102
M any authors have alluded to the fact that Frida suffered from a fear
of abandonm ent.
This is first seen in her relationship
traced her dread of abandonm ent
indicates that the experience
w ith her m other. Frida
back to the tim e of her birth.
103
She
of bonding never took place betw een them , nor
that she w as able to fully separate from her m other. Rather than dw ell on her
attachm ent
w ith her m other Frida sought to fulfill her needs through friends,
lovers, and especially through her attachm ent w ith her husband.
Frida experienced
her fear of abandonm ent
early in her life. The bout
w ith polio affected her in m any w ays. She w as teased by other children and
nicknam ed
"peg-leg"
because her right leg alw ays rem ained sm aller than her
left. She had invented an im aginary friend to keep her com pany during the
nine m onths of recuperation.
H er half-sister
She also suffered abuse from fam ily m em bers.
M argarita teased Frida saying that she did not belong to either
parent but w as found in the trash Frida later said she responded
102
to this by
D arbyshire. "U nderstanding the life of illness": 54.
36
b e c o m in g
in tro v e rte d .
H o w e v e r,
th is o n ly a ffe c te d
her because
she had
a lre a d y b e g u n to fe e l a d is ta n c e fro m h e r m o th e r.
D u e to h e r la c k o f a tta c h m e n t
p s y c h o lo g ic a l
p ro fe s s io n
w ith h e r m o th e r s o m e a u th o rs
in th e
h a v e s ta te d th a t F rid a lo o k e d to D ie g o a s a s e c o n d
p a re n ta l fig u re to m a k e u p fo r w h a t s h e la c k e d in h e r m o th e r a s w e ll a s a n
o p p o rtu n ity
to re c re a te th e re la tio n s h ip
h a s n o te d th e s im ila rity o f F rid a 's
s h e h a d w ith h e r fa th e r.
th e o ld e r P a o lo U c c e llo , a fifte e n th
F rid a 's
is firs t a ttra c te d to th e o th e r's
o f D ie g o 's
s ta rv e s h e rs e lf to d e a th . L ik e w is e ,
in a b ility to fu lly lo v e h e r.
U c c e llo ' s w o rk . D ie g o re m a rk e d
a tte n tio n .
p a in tin g s .
D ie g o in c lu d e d
im a g e .
105
F rid a s u ffe rs u n d e r th e p a in
W h ile in E u ro p e , D ie g o h a d a d m ire d
in h is a u to b io g ra p h y
h o w F rid a g a in e d h is
H e a ls o s a id th a t F rid a y e a rn e d fo r a c k n o w le d g m e n t
w h ic h h e n e v e r p ro v id e d ,
lik e d a w o m a n ,
G rim b e rg ,
U n iv e rs ity .
a n d th a t h e tre a te d h e r s a d is tic a lly ,
fro m h im ,
s ta tin g : " If!
th e m o re I lik e d h e r, th e m o re I w is h e d to h u rt h e r. F rid a
S a lo m o n .
Frida Kahlo.
M e a d o w s M u s e u m , D a lla s : S o u th e rn M e th o d is t
1 9 8 9 : 6 6 . F o o tn o te # 3 , L u c ie n n e B lo c h re c o rd e d
p a in tin g My Birth w a s p a in te d in re a c tio n to h e r m o th e r's
\(;4 Ib id .: 1 1 -1 4
105
P a in te r. A s w ith
b e g in s to fe e l th a t P a o lo w ill n e v e r lo v e h e r a s fu lly a s s h e w is h e s ,
s h e th e re fo re
103
c e n tu ry F lo re n tin e
fa lls in lo v e w ith
im a g e in h is p a in tin g s , a s P a o lo d id w ith S e lv a g g ia 's
S e lv a g g ia
G rim b e rg
p a s s io n to D ie g o w ith th a t o f a s to ry s h e
lik e d a s a c h ild . In th e s to ry a y o u n g g irl n a m e d S e lv a g g ia
F rid a , S e lv a g g ia
104
in h e r
d ia ry th a t th e
d e a th .
Ib id .: 1 6 .
37
wasn't but the most obvious victim of this disagreeable trait of mine."
106
Frida therefore, like Selvaggia, suffered from emotional starvation from the
man she loved. Frida, who had first feared the abandonment by her mother,
now felt abandonment by her husband. In 1935, Diego had begun an affair
with Kahlo' s younger sister Cristina. This affair above all others devastated
Fn'd a. 107
In her fear of abandonment from Diego she desperately groped at
measures to keep him near her. Frida's extensive clinical history had taught
her that her illness could work in her favor. "W e indulge in our ills in order
to protect ourselves,"
108
she wrote in her diary. Beyond using her illness as a
self-defense mechanism, Frida used it to gain attention. She noticed how
attentive Diego was whenever she was ill and how he paid less attention to
her when she was healthy. "Frida used Diego as a barometer for her pain.
As long as Diego did as she wished, Frida's pain diminished, but if, Diego
expressed a mind of his own, Frida's pain increased "
109
Herrera states that
Frida made herself into a "tragic victim and a heroic sufferer. One role
106 Grimberg,
Salomon. "Frida Kahle's M emory: The Piercing oftbe Heart by tbe
Arrow of Divine Love" Women's Art Journal V2 (Fall 1990IW inter 1991): 4. Quote
from: Rivera, Diego and Gladys M arch. Mi Arte, Mi Vida. M exico: Editorial Herrero,
SA, 1963: 101-4,224.
107 Grimberg. Frida Kahlo.: 18-19.
108 The Art of Frida Kahlo. Introduction by Teresa del Conde, Translated by M artha
Zamora, Adelaide Festival, 1990: 5: del Conde states tbat this was written in Frida
Kahle's diary on February 4, 1954, yet this date does not appear in tbe printed version
of Frida's diary.
109 Grimberg. Frida Kahlo.: 41.
38
brought pity, the other adm iration.,,11O Regardless
of how Frida depicted
herself; wounded, weeping, cut open or bleeding, she always appeared as a
survivor.
Frida's beloved friend Dr. Eloesser believed that m any of her
operations were unnecessary.
from m isguided
If this was the case Frida m ay have suffered
surgery as well as possibly from the psychological
known as M unchausen
disorder
syndrom e. This disorder describes som eone who
. uses physical pain as a tool to m anipulate the people around them . They m ay
physically abuse them selves
by exacerbating
an existing ailm ent or by
creating a new one. The person then finds a hospital that will treat them for
their ailm ent. Painkillers
and sedatives are often used, and often in excess.
M any with this disorder are prepared to undergo m ultiple invasive
operations.
They have, through experience, becom e quite convincing
invented physical sym ptom s. Occasionally
resentm ent
expenence
in their
som e with the disorder hold a
toward the m edical profession for an earlier m edical
lll
In Frida's
case, she seem ed to alternately hold contem pt for and
worship her doctors. Additional personality traits m ay include underlying
110
111
Herrera. "Frida Kahlo: the Palette, the Pain, and the Painter" Artforum: 60.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual a/Mental Disorders. Third Edition-Revised.
W ashington, D.C.: Am erican Psychiatric Association, 1987: 316-318.
39
d e p e n d e n t,
e x p lo ita tiv e ,
o r m a s o c h is tic
b e h a v io r s ,
a ll o f w h ic h
F r id a h a s
b e e n s a id to h a v e a c c o r d in g
to v a r io u s a u th o r s . D u e to th e ir c ir c u m s ta n c e s
in f lic tin g
p a in th e M u n c h a u s e n
p a in a n d r e c e iv in g
v ic tim iz e r . 1 ! 2 F a ls e p h y s ic a l
H e rre ra
e le c te d
b e lie v e s ,
w a s p r o b a b ly
tr u e f e e lin g s
m a n y s e lf - p o r tr a its
w h ic h
im a g e r e p e a te d ly
h a v e c o m m e n te d
n a r c is s is tic
th a t
o f h e r lif e .
h a v e b e e n c o m p a re d
to m a s k s , h id in g h e r
F r id a w a s a b le to d e a l m o r e c o n c r e te ly
w ith n a r c is s is m ,
p o in tin g
n o t o n ly f o r h e r m a jo r ity
d u e to h e r s o c a lle d b iz a r r e r e la tio n s h ip
d is o r d e r s
p s y c h o a n a ly s ts
o th e r th a n h e r o w n .! ! 3 P s y c h o a n a ly s ts
F r id a a s n a r c is s is tic ,
her
w ith h e r p a in , b o th
n e a r ly o n ly s e lf - p o r tr a its
o n h e r c o n n e c tio n
to d e a l w ith c o n c e r n s
b u t e s p e c ia lly
o r f o r a ilm e n ts
a r e n e v e r m a d e a p p a r e n t to th e v ie w e r . B y p a in tin g
a n d m e n ta l. B y p a in tin g
c a te g o r iz e d
th a t s h e in v e n te d
she
a n d th a t m ig h t h a v e b e e n tr e a te d in s o m e le s s d r a s tic w a y , it
o n ly in th e la s t d e c a d e
F r id a 's
and
m a y c o e x is t w ith r e a l o n e s : th is ,
w a s th e c a s e w ith F r id a . I f , a s D r . E lo e s s e r th o u g h t,
to h a v e s u r g e r y f o r s y m p to m s
s h e e x a g g e r a te d
p h y s ic a l
s y m p to m s
p a tie n t is b o th v ic tim
of
to h e r in a b ility
have
o f s e lf - p o r tr a its
to m ir r o r s . T h o s e w ith
h a v e b e e n k n o w n to h a v e a n u n c o m m o n
r e a c tio n
to
Psychology Today. F e b . 1 9 8 3 : 7 8 - 7 9 .
The Journal of the American Medical
112
L ip s itt, D o n R . " T h e M u n c h a u s e n M y s te r y "
113
S o u th g a te , M . T h e r e s e . T h e C o v e r JAMA:
Association. V 2 7 0 n 1 6 ( O c to b e r 1 9 9 3 ) :1 8 9 9 .
40
m irrors.
114
C onstantly
It w as w ell know n that Frida had m irrors placed everyw here.
concerned
w ith her appearance,
there w as hardly a direction she
could turn w ithout catching her reflection in a m irror
constant "reflection
K nafo states that her
served as a rem inder of her existence",
115
very
im portant to som eone w ho w as already suffering from a fear of
abandonm ent.
N evertheless,
restrictedly
associated
and restricted
her preponderance
w ith narcissism .
by the confinem ent
m atter, m aking self-portraits
of self-portraits
should not be
T he fact that she w as often bedridden
of her invalidism
lim ited her subject
the easiest form of subject m atter,
m ention that Frida used the self-portrait
116
as a m eans of exercising
not to
her pain in
a concrete m anner
H ow ever,
psychoanalysts
im ply that Frida transform ed
into a m irror on w hich to refine herself
her self-portraits
her canvas
B y constantly redefining
herself in
she w as trying to obtain that w hich she did not receive from
her m other, a concrete
sense of self T hus, in a sense her self-portraits
on the them e of m other as faulty m irror as w ell as replacem ent
took
for her
114 K nafo, D anielle. "E go Schile and Frida K ahlo: the self-portrait as m irror" The
Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis. V 19n4, W inter 1990: 633.
K nafo, 'T he m irror, the m ask, the M asquerade": 283-4.
H arris, A nn Sutherland and L inda N ochlin. Women Artists: 1550-1950. N ew Y ork:
A lfred A . K nopf, 1976: 335.
liS
116
41
m other.
117
In the context that the m irror or self-portrait as m irror replaced
her m other, Frida w rote in her diary next to several sm all self-portrait
draw ings, "the one w ho gave birth to herself.,,118
Frida created the im age of herself that she w anted to be know n. She
altered inform ation,
in the end to conceal her true self and her real pain. The
m ask Frida created for herself refused to display her em otions, the
surrounding
elem ents of her paintings often told the story that w as not
revealed in her facial features. Frida w as fam iliar w ith m asks for they have
alw ays played a significant role in the art and culture of M exico. Frida's
m ask, how ever, w ent beyond her self-portraits
Frida's
to conceal her real self.
m ental anguish w as transform ed
could then exercise on her canvas. C onsequently,
increased
as her m ental anguish
she began to stress her physical pain. Frida protected her w eakness
by exaggerating
her suffering. She w as, how ever, only able to deal w ith
physical suffering
em otional
into physical pain, a pain she
in this m anner. "Even though she obviously painted as an
outlet for her pain, her w ork conveyed the m essage:
117
K nafo. "The m irror, the m ask, the M asquerade": 283-4.
118
Ibid.: 284. K nafo refers to: H errera.
Frida.:
138.; A lso see:
'Look w hat
The Diary of Frida
Kahlo: 49. The entire passage reads: "D ESIR E, The one w ho gave birth to herself,
IC ELIT, w ho w rote m e the m ost m arvelous poem of her w hole life.
I'd ..give ... sea ... do ... kiss .. .I love D iego and no one else."
42
terrible things happened
m e feel.
to m e' rather than 'T his is how these events m ade
",1 1 9
B y painting her m ask Frida never reveals the em otional pain she
suffered, yet she reveals the fact that she obsesses over her husband by
placing his im age on her forehead.
120
R egardless
of the consequences
each painting, Frida does not display anger or frustration or eventhe
she felt. T herefore,
although Frida's
behind
sorrow s
body show n as dam aged w hen
included, her face constantly rem ains serene and brave. T hrough this m eans
Frida seem s to state that her determ ination
and strength of character is able
to conquer the lim itations posed by her body.121
D eath had been a loom ing factor in Frida's
life as w as loneliness,
first experienced
w hen she suffered from polio. H er paintings have taken on
a grim dem eanor
w reathed
R eflecting
w ith sym bols of death, loneliness, and despair.
upon the trolley accident she w rote in her journal "w e look for
calm or peace because w e anticipate death, since w e die every m om ent.,,122
W ith this and the other sufferings in m ind w hich Frida experienced,
Z am ora
author
stated that it is not hard to believe that she w as the first w om an in
. O to un d ergo psyc hoanalvsi
M eX IC
oana ysis. 123
119
K nafo. 'T he m irror, the m ask, and the m asquerade": 288.
120
Self-Portrait as a Tehuana (1943); Diego and I (1949).
121
l22
123
K nafo. "T he m irror, the m ask, the m asquerade": 288.
H errera. Frida Kahlo. E xhibition catalog: 23.
Z am ora: 118
43
Through her fear of abandonment, narcissism, Munchausen
syndrome, and the use of a 'mask', the psychological profession looks to
Frida as an icon of mental anguish. She was able to conceal her suffering
from friends and family, yet exercised it on her canvases. This ability
likewise attracted the medical profession to Frida and produced the icon of
supreme sufferer.
44
IC O N
O F S U F F E R IN G
F rid a 's
to rtu re d
film s . T h e ro m a n tic is m
m o d e l s u ffe re r.
AND TRAGEDY
life h a s in s p ire d th e a tric a l
T h is v ie w h a s b e e n g re a tly e n h a n c e d
T h is is m o s t a p p a re n tly
a s w e ll a s
th ro u g h
a s th e
lite ra tu re
and
h e r s u ffe rin g .
e x e m p lifie d
in P a u l L e d u c 's
1 9 8 4 film
Frida,
s c e n e s p o rtra y h e r a s b e in g a n in v a lid fro m h e r e a rly y e a rs . S h e is
s h o w n w e a rin g
a le g b ra c e a s a c h ild a n d c o n fin e d
h e r p re p a ra to ry
d a y s , th u s g re a tly e x a g g e ra tin g
s c e n e s h a v e , h o w e v e r,
W h ile L e d u c 's
e x p o s u re
124
p ro d u c tio n s
S E T T IN G
o f F rid a a s a n in v a lid h a s le d to h e r id e a lis m
film s o n F rid a w h ic h e x a g g e ra te
w h e re
IN T H E A T R IC A L
a d d e d to th e th e a te r's
h e r in v a lid is m .
T hese
film m a y b e th e m o s t ta lk e d a b o u t it w a s n o t th e firs t
Frida.
w a s a 1 9 6 6 film b y K a re n
F ilm , 1 0 8 m in u te s . P ro d u c e r, M a n u e l B a rb a c h a n o ;
1 9 8 4 .; A ls o s e e : B e h a r, R u th . " L a tin A m e ric a : F rid a "
V 9 4 n 4 , O c to b e r
124
d u rin g
in te re s t o f F rid a a s a m a rty r.
o f F rid a o n film . T h e e a rlie s t p ro d u c tio n
L e d u c , P a u l., D ire c to r.
to a w h e e lc h a ir
American Historical Review.
1 9 8 9 : 1 0 4 4 -1 0 4 6 .
45
a n d D a v id C ro m m ie
s im p ly e n title d
T h is film w a s s h o rtly fo llo w e d
M a rc e la
F e rn a n d e z - V io la n te
M e x ic. o
.
In
b y a M e x ic a n
p ro d u c tio n ,
a t th e U n iv e rs ity
N a c io n a l
F rida K ahlo, b y
A u to n o m a
de
film s in c lu d e a P B S M o n d a y n ig h t s p e c ia l S e p te m b e r
4,
A ls o th e film F rida K ahlo: R ibbon A round a B om b, a 1 9 9 2 h o u r-
lo n g d o c u m e n ta ry .
T h is film c o m b in e s
film a n d e x e rts fro m th e p la y 'T h e
C o ra C a rd o n a .
C O -p ro d u c e d
H o lly w o o d
o u t o f th e $ 1 0 m illio n p ro d u c tio n
L a u ra
S a n G ia c o m o .
125
T u lly : 1 2 6 -1 3 3 .
126
M o tia n -M e a d o w s ,
F u lle rto n : C a lifo rn ia
ta lk in g h e a d s , a rc h iv a l
D ia ry o f F rid a K a h lo " ,
p e rfo rm e d
w ith K e n M a n d e l a s c u ra to r.
by
128
e n title d F rida: P ortrait of a W om an. 129
fin a lly g o t in to th e F rid a c ra z e w ith L o u is V a ld e z 's
film F rida and D iego. H o w e v e r,
M e x ic a n ,
h e r p a in tin g s ,
b y C a rd o n a
T h e re w a s a ls o a 1 9 9 3 p ro d u c tio n
127
125
1 9 7 1 .1 2 6
S ubsequent
1 9 8 9 . '2 7
T he L ife and D eath of F rida K ahlo.
1994
th is film w a s n e v e r m a d e . V a ld e z p u lle d
o v e r c o n tro v e rs y
o f c a s tin g a n o n -
R a u l J u lia h a d b e e n c a s t a s D ie g o .
M a ry . F rida K ahlo: T he P ersonal and P olitical.
S ta te U n iv e rs ity , 1 9 8 2 : n.p. lis te d in b io g ra p h y
130
M .A . T h e s is .
u n d e r film s .
G o o d m a n , W a lte r. " T h e P a s s io n a n d th e P a in o f th e P a in te r F rid a K a h lo " N ew Y ork
th
T im es. C ,2 6 :4 , S e p te m b e r I, 1 9 8 9 . (P B S . M o n d a y , S e p te m b e r 4 , 1 9 8 9 , lO p m E T )
iz s K e m p le y , R ita . " F rid a K a h lo : A T o rm e n te d C a n v a s " W ashington P ost. D , 2 :4 , F e b .
2 2 , 1 9 9 2 . A ls o s e e : J a m e s , C a ry n . " T h e E x p lo s iv e L ife o f F rid a K a h le "
N ew Y ork
T im es. C , 1 0 : I, M a y 2 2 , 1 9 9 2 .
129
A n d e rs o n , K e n t a n d D a v id B a k e r. V id e o v ie w in g . School A rts. V 9 3 n 3 , N o v . 1 9 9 3 :
45.
130
T u lly : 1 2 6 -3 3 .; A ls o s e e : S p illm a n , S u s a n . " C o n tro v e rs y
o v e r n o n -e th n ic c a s tin g "
U SA T oday. M a y 2 ,1 9 9 5 .
46
A t th e sam e tim e th at th e film in d u stry w as b eg in n in g
ack n o w led g m en t
m u sicals,
F rid a's
o f F rid a th e p erfo rm in g
S ch ro ed er
M ex ico C ity 's In stitu to N acio n al
fo llo w ed
arts w ere p ro d u cin g
an d d an ces b ased u p o n th e artist's
life w as F red erica
p lay s,
life. T h e first p lay d ep ictin g
In clan ' s
Frida Kahlo: Viva la Vida, at
d e B ellas A rtes in 1 9 7 0 .
in M ex ico C ity b y th e Ju lio P rieto T h eater's
131
T h is w as
The Two Fridas.132
In th e U n ited S tates th e first b ig th eatrical p ro d u ctio n
H ilary B lech er.
an
w as
Frida
by
T h e p lay o p en ed at P lay s an d P lay ers T h eater an d w as
p erfo rm ed
fo r th e A m erican M u sic T h eater F estiv al in 1 9 9 1 .
p erfo rm ed
at th e B ro o k ly n A cad em y o f M u sic's
an d th en th e H o u sto n
It w as also
N ex t W av e F estiv al in 1 9 9 2
G ran d O p era in Ju n e 1 9 9 3 . W h ile H ilary B lech er
w ro te th e p lay M ig d alia
C ru z co -au th o red
th e lib retto . B lech er an d C ru z are
b o th k n o w n fo r th eir p rio r p o litical w o rk s. H o w ev er,
in w ritin g
Frida
th ey
d id n o t aim at w ritin g a p o litical p iece. R ath er, fo r B lech er, th e p lay is ab o u t
F rid a's
su fferin g ,
b o th h er p h y sical an d p sy ch o lo g ical
th at F rid a K ah lo "lib erates
an g u ish . B lech er feels
w o m en " b y h er ex trem e ex am p le o f h er p o w er to
"b e y o u rself.,,1 3 3 F o r G .W . M ercier, th e co stu m e an d set d esig n er, F rid a w as
a rad ical m o re th an a fem in ist, h e saw h er as b ein g o p p o sed to au th o rity .
131
132
M o tian -M ead o w s:
Ib 'd
1 . n .p .
n .p . listed
in b io g rap h y u n d er film s.
1 3 3 Z in rn an ,T o b y S ilv erm an . "V isio n s o f F rid a: K ah lo s
stag e."
to rtu red life is rep lay ed o n
American Theatre V 8 n l, A p ril I, 1 9 9 1 : 2 8 .; S ell also : R o ck w ell, Jo lm . "A
47
B lecher w as draw n to F rida and her paintings and colorfully painful life as
w ere m any fem inists. S he thought of the playas creating a visual context
using puppets based on pieces by F rida and D iego. F rida's paintings
interacted w ith the play in the form s of m asked figures, tw o and three
dim ensional puppets or m iniature m odels. T he quasi-operatic piece of
m usical theater com bines six actors w ith nearly seventy-five puppets in an
attem pt to reveal real life actions w ith em otions from w ithin. T he play fuses
the m usic of corridos w ith the art of retablos. T he m usical com position by
R obert X avier R odriguez synthesized jazz, tango, and M exican folk-tunes
played by a m ariachi band. T he set and costum es m im ic F rida's paintings
and retablos in their graphic portrayals of real life events. 134
In 1992, the M exican M useum in S an F rancisco tried a different
approach to a play about F rida K ahlo. T he M exican artist Javier C astellanos
acquired the exhibit "P asion por F rida" w hich w as show n at the m useum
during the sum m er of 1992. T he exhibit w as on the legacy of F rida K ahlo
and w as very successful, over 1500 people cam e for the opening night. A
dram a w as perform ed for opening night w ith five of her self-portraits
'recreated in tableau vivant.' W hen the m useum announced auditions for the
play they w ere overw helm ed by the enorm ous response. O ut of those
P ainter's
P ersona and A rtistry B rought to L ife" New York Times. A pril13,
1991:
A ,13:3.
48
a u d itio n in g
'F rid ita s'
fo r p a rts w e re n o n -M e x ic a n s,
a n d c ro ss-d re ssin g
a rtists.
a lso so m e m e n , in c lu d in g
135
O n a p o litic a l n o te th e re is A T ra v e lin g
Frida
c re a te d b y A lb e rt G re e n b e rg ,
1 9 9 4 . T h e p la y re c o n stru c ts
G re e n b e rg
w h ic h w a s re w ritte n
T ro tsk y
Trotsky and
H e le n S to ltz fu s, a n d C o re y F isc h e r in
T ro tsk y a n d F rid a .
Trotsky and Frida: The Musical
in 1 9 8 6 ,
to b e c o m e th e n e w e r v e rsio n . T h e p la y is m o re a b o u t
a n d id e a s th a n F rid a a n d e m o tio n s.
c a p ita liz in g
Je w ish T h e a te r's
th e m e e tin g b e tw e e n
a n d S to ltz fu s d id th e
m any
u p o n F rid a 's
p o p u la rity
136
P e rh a p s th e in te n tio n
of
p la y e d a ro le in th e c h o ic e o f su b je c t
m a tte r. S in c e th e p la y is m o re a b o u t T ro tsk y th a n F rid a it is a p p a re n t th a t sh e
w a s n o t in te n d e d
o n b e in g th e m a in fo c a l p o in t, b u t p e rh a p s w a s th e se llin g
p o in t.
A p la y c e le b ra tin g
th e life a n d a rt o f F rid a K a h lo e n title d
Kahlo: Autorretrato del dolor (self-portrait ojpain)
S in e rg ia
p e rfo rm e d
1 9 9 5 . W ritte n ,
134
b y G ru p o d e T e a tro
R e ig h L a s A n g e le s P h o to g ra p h ic
C e n te r in
d ire c te d , a n d d e sig n e d b y R ic a rd o S o lte ro th is p la y d e p ic ts a
Ib id .:2 9 .; A lso se e R o c k w e ll: A ,I3 :3 .;
M u ra list"
135
a t W illia m
Frida
T u lly :1 2 6 -3 3 .;
S h o rt T a k e s: "M a rrie d to th e
Time. N o v . 2 , 1 9 9 2 :7 5 .
T u lly : 1 2 6 -3 3 .; A lso se e : B a k e w e ll: 1 6 5 -1 8 9 .
F o x , M ic h a e l. "L e o n T ro tsk y , F rid a K a h lo sp a rk A T JT 's im a g in a tio n " Northern
California Jewish Bulletin. A p ril 8 ,1 9 9 4 : P G .; A lso se e : S te rlin g , G e o rg e . "A T JT 's
'T ro tsk y a n d F rid a ' a im s h ig h b u t fa lls sh o rt" Northern California Jewish Bulletin.
136
O c to b e r 2 0 , 1 9 9 5 : P G .
49
triangle of betrayal, deception
betw een a m an, his w ife, and his father.
T his w as the first largely advertised
137
play in the U nited S tates that w as aim ed
at the L atino com m unity. In order to com pensate
for the non-S panish
speaker w ho w anted to see the play alternative nights w ere perform ed
in
E nglish.
T w o specific dances have been choreographed
alone. L icia P erea's
through
costum es
on F rida's
life in 1996
one person dance Frida, copies the artist's likeness
based on her self-portraits.r" A m ore inventive rendition
of her life is produced through the Jose L im on D ance C om pany's
version
entitled Sambra y Sol (Images of Frida Kahla). In this perform ance
bullfight
is used as a m etaphor for F rida's
transform ed
into sym bolic representations
a
life. H er tragic experiences
are
that have their fam iliarity in the
bullfight, the play back and forth betw een the bull and the m atador.
139
O n another note, Jam es N ew ton has com posed a Suite for Frida
Kahla. T his is a four part suite inspired by F rida. It reflects the dedication
137 A paza, N elly. "T eatro en espanol: senales de crecim iento; R uben A m avizca,
director" La Opinion. January 21, 1995: P G .; A lso see: A rroyo, B lanca. "F rida
angelina cum ple las cien" La Opinion. July 12, 1995: P G .; de la C ruz, E lena.
"V ariedad de artes inspira nuevo espacio cultural U nity C enter: G rupos" La Opinion.
January 28, 1995: P G .; M enard, V alerie. "H ispanic C alendar" Hispanic. V 8, M arch I,
1995: 84.
us F isher, Jennifer. "M usic and dance review : 'F rida' celebrates K ahle's life but lacks
artist's pow er; H om e E dition." Los Angeles Times. January 29, 1996: F -6.; A lso see
the w eb site: http://w w w .canoe.caffhatreR eview s/frida.htm l
139 E pstein, B enjam in. "H e's B usy H elping O thers W atch T heir S teps; U C I's M cK ayle
T unes Jose L im on D ancers for T ribute to K ahlo." Los Angeles Times. O range C ounty
E dition, M ay 6, 1996: F -2.
50
a n d s u ffe rin g
c a s u a llis te n e r
th a t a rt d e m a n d s .
l4 0
s o n g d e d ic a te d
lo v e a n
to F rid a . S im p ly e n title d " F rid a ,"
T h ro u g h
.
to D Ie g o .
re p re s e n ta tio n s
140
th e s o n g ta lk s a b o u t h e r
in film , p la y s , m u s ic a ls , d a n c e s a n d e v e n in
h a v e trie d to d e p ic t h e r in a w h im s ic a l
th a t h a s g a in e d
fa s h io n , h e r s to ry
a n d tra g e d y . T h e s e a re p re c is e ly
th e
h e r c u lt lik e s ta tu s w ith re c e n t p o rtra y a ls
in
s e ttin g .
in R e v ie w ; S h o w s a n d A lb u m s T h a t W e re M a g ic ; O ra n g e C o u n ty
Los Angeles Times. D e c e m b e r 3 1 , 1 9 9 4 : F -2 .
o f M o u th . " F rid a " Somewhere in the World. T ro v a R e c o rd in g s : P a c ific
"1994: T he Y ear
E d itio n "
141
a
141
re m a in s th e s a m e , o n e o f s u ffe rin g
th e th e a te r
fo r th e
life s to ry h a s b e e n s e e n a s a s e rio u s s u b je c t m a tte r. A lth o u g h
s o m e re p ro d u c tio n s
c h a ra c te ris tic s
is n o t in te n d e d
T h e m u s ic a l g ro u p W o rd o f M o u th h a s a ls o p ro d u c e d
d a tta c hm e n t
m u s ic F rid a 's
T h is c o m p o s itio n
W o rd
P a lis a d e s ,
C A ., 1 9 9 5 .
51
F R ID A
KAHLO
A S A N IC O N T O A R T IS T S
F rid a K a h lo ' s a b ility to sp e a k th ro u g h
lik e fo llo w in g
a m o n g a rtists
n e e d s se e n th ro u g h
h e r a rt h a s g a in e d h e r a c u lt-
M a n y h a v e la tc h e d o n to th e p sy c h o lo g ic a l
h e r w o rk . T h e n e e d to se p a ra te a n d d ista n c e h e rse lf fro m
h e r p a in . T h e n e e d to o v e rc o m e
h e r p a in th ro u g h re p re se n tin g
T h e n e e d to b re a k a w a y fro m tra d itio n a lly
it in h e r a rt.
a c c e p te d m o d e s o f re p re se n ta tio n
in th e a rts.
A rtists h a v e ta k e n th e se n e e d s a n d tra n sla te d
re p re se n ta tio n s
th e m in to th e ir o w n
o f th e a rtist. O v e ra ll sh e is v ie w e d a s a m a rty re d
w h o w a s a b le to fe e l a n d a t th e sa m e tim e e x p re ss a n iro n w ill.
n u m e ro u s
p o litic a l,
re p re se n ta tio n s
se x u a l, n u rtu rin g ,
sa in t, o n e
In th e
o f F rid a sh e is v ie w e d in fo u r d istin c t w a y s;
a n d th e m a rty re d sa in t o r su ffe re r.
52
T h e first rep resen tatio n s
R iv era. F rid a's
R eflectin g
o f F rid a K ah lo w ere b y h er h u sb an d
im ag e w as in clu d ed
in at least fiv e o f D ieg o 's
D ieg o
m u rals.
h is stro n g p o litical v iew s F rid a is v iew ed in a p o litical co n tex t in
n early all o f h is rep resen tatio n s.
In th e 1 9 2 8 , I n s u r r e c t i o n p an el o f th e m u ral
series B a l l a d o j t h e P r o l e t a r i a n R e v o l u t i o n D ieg o d ep icts F rid a as a
C o m m u n ist
m ilitan t. H er h air is cu t sh o rt, sh e w ears a m an 's
red w o rk sh irt
w ith a red star o n its p o ck et, an d sh e h o ld s rifles an d b ay o n ets. D ieg o is
p lacin g h er in th e co n tex t o f a p o litical h ero in e.
142
T h e 1 9 3 5 , T h e S t r u g g l e o j t h e C l a s s e s p an el to th e
m u ral o n th e left w all o f th e N atio n al
M odem
M e x ic o
P alace stairw ay rev eals F rid a sittin g
b eh in d h er sister C ristin a h o ld in g a b o o k w ith a p o litical tex t fo r a b o y to
read . F rid a w ears a d en im sk irt, b lu e w o rk sh irt, a g o ld m ed allio n
star w ith h am m er
rep resen ts
an d sick le, an d h as sh o rt h air.
143
In 1 9 5 2 D ieg o ag ain
F rid a in a p o litical co n tex t. T h is tim e sh e is d ep icted
w h eelch air
h o ld in g
a co p y o f th e S to ck h o lm
P eace P etitio n .
in a
144
D ieg o also d ep icted F rid a in a sex u al co n tex t. S h e ap p eared
tatto o ed
A ztec w o m an
th e N atio n al
143
P alace. F rid a is rep resen ted
H errera. F r i d a . 9 4 -5 .
Ib id .: 1 8 4 -5 ; M e x i c a n
M e x ic o
C ity . R S.
as a
in h is 1 9 4 5 m u ral T h e G r e a t C i t y o j T e n o c h t i t l a n ,
n ativ e In d ian flo w er "T ig red ia",
142
w ith red
as a co u rtesan
at
g irl, h o ld in g th e
sy m b o l o f th e g o d d ess o f lo v e an d flo w ers,
H i s t o r y : D i e g o R i v e r a 's
F rescoes
in th e N a tio n a l
P a la c e
of
S ilv a E .: M ex ico C ity , 1 9 6 1 : X I.
53
and is surrounded
represents
by adm irers offering gifts to her.
145
In this piece D iego
her sexuality through her sensual appearance.
depicts her nude in a lithograph
L ikew ise,
in 1930, D esnudo de F rida K ahlo.
he
146
D iego depicted F rida in a nurturing context in 1947-8 in the H otel de
P rado m ural. D iego portrays him self as a fat boy standing in front of an adult
F rida.
147
In this context D iego states how his relationship
w ith F rida w as
often based on her nurturing him as a m other w ould a child.
A side from D iego R ivera representations
of F rida w ere m ade during
her life tim e by her students. In 1942, F rida received a teaching position
w orking tw elve hours per w eek at the E scuela de P intura y E scultura
"L a
E sm erala."
classes
at her hom e.
A fter a few m onths, due to her bad health, she conducted
148
F our students rem ained w ith F rida; F anny R abel, A rturo
E strada, A rturo G arcia B ustos, and G uillerm o M onroy. F rida's
students
becam e attached to her and rem ained in contact w ith her throughout
of her life. T heir representations
as the nurturing
the rest
depict her in scenes of peace and serenity,
m other figure.
H errera. F rida: 389. "T he N ightm are of W ar and the D ream of P eace"
R ichm ond, R obin. F rida K ahlo in M exico. S an F rancisco: P om egranate A rtbooks,
1994: 27.; M exican H istory: D iego R ivera's F rescoes in the N ational P alace of
M exico C ity. R . S . S ilva E , 1961: X II.
146 D iego R ivera: P intura de C aballete y D ibujos. M exico: F ondo editorial de la
P lastica M exicana, 1979: 116.
147 H errera. F rida. 376.
144
145
14' M onroy, G uillerm o. "H om enaje de un pintor a F rida K ahlo a los 22 alios de su
m uerte" E xcelsior. July 17, 1976: 8.; B illeter, The W orld of F rida K ahlo: 256.
54
In 1952, B ustos and E strada w ere accom panied by som e of D iego's
follow ers in repainting the m ural of L a R osita. In this Frida w as show n
w earing a T ehuana costum e. She held a peace dove and below her w as
show n a scroll w ith the w ords: "W e love peace. ,,149
A year after her death, in June 1955, A rturo E strada had his first onem an show at the Salon of M exican painting. A m ong the paintings displayed
w as one entitled Portrait of the Dead Frida Kahlo. Frida w as show n
surrounded by w ild flow ers, "like a sleeping beauty w ho has found her a bed
a large, flat-bottom ed boat like the ones the U ruapan natives have been
building and gaudily decorating since tim e im rnernorial.t'V '' In this scene
Frida is no longer depicted as the nurturing m other or teacher standing over
her students. She is now im m ortalized, seen as the idol of her students'
honor.
L ess than a year later, on Friday, July 13, 1956, up to forty painters
got together at the L ola A lvarez B ravo G allery to pay hom age to Frida.
A rtists included w ere: R em edios V aro, M achila A rm ida, C elia C alderon,
L ucinda U rristi, O lga C osta, A lice R ahon, A ndrea G om ez, L eonora
C arrington, and her student Fanny R abel.
1S1
T w o years after her death, this
150
H errera. Frida. 403.; T ibol: 195.
T ibol: 199-201.
.
151
Ibid.: 205-6. A lthough there is no m ention as to w hether this w as an exhibit of
149
entirely w om en artists, the assum ptions m ay be m ade that it w as since only fem ale
nam es are m entioned.
55
event signified the im pact that Frida K ahle' s life had on artists of her ow n
tim e.
E ventually
artists began paying hom age to Frida by placing her im age
in their artw ork. T he C hicano m ovem ent
helped bring these representations
States, to M exican-A m ericans
along w ith the fem inist m ovem ent
to the attention of artists in the U nited
and A m erican artists alike. R epresentations
by these artists have predom inantly
view ed Frida as a m artyred saint,
although at tim es she is depicted in a nurturing context.
represented
In
either case she is
as giving strength to the artist through the exam ple of her ow n
life.
A uthor Shifra G oldm an
described
a 'm ovem ent'
artists that lasted from 1965 through the 1980s.
to cover issues that dealt w ith their Indigenous
pre-C olum bian
In this
am ong C hicano
m ovem ent
artists tried
heritage. T hey em braced
culture as a m eans of distancing them selves
the
from E urope, in
race and culture. M any artists dealt w ith this in different w ays. Som e began
fusing pre-C olum bian
m otifs w ith contem porary
issues. O thers expressed
their em pathy w ith the N ative A m ericans w ho had been oppressed
E uropean
culture as w ell. Som e also expressed
by
em pathy w ith the M aya w ho
56
w ere resisting genocide
id
ai.
im posed by their governm ent
and backed by U S
152
From the C hicano art m ovem ent
artists began m aking representations
that fit in w ith the them es of the V irgin, C hrist, and the bleeding heart or
suffering of C hrist or saints. R epresentations
of Frida fit in as im ages of a
saint, som eone w ho had suffered as a m artyred saint.
For this inspiration
artists looked to the sym bolism Frida used in her
paintings. H er artistic language w as m erely the re-invention
of a series of
sym bolic elem ents that revealed her as a w om an, a M exican, and a bisexual.
T hese areas gained her interest am ong contem porary
to participate
in m ainstream
appealed to conceptual
artists. H er resistance
art and her reliance on traditional
im agery
artists w ho used im ages as signs. Frida also attracted
artists by the fact that she alluded being labeled into any specific style of art,
once she renounced
C hicano
C hicano
152
the Surrealist circle.
153
artw ork began m oving into the m ainstream
m ovem ent
w ith the
of the 1960s. T his, how ever, did not bring acceptance
G oldm an, Shifra M . "T he iconography of C hicano self-determ ination:
as
R ace,
ethnicity, and class" ArtJournal.
V 49, June I, 1990: 167.
153 El Corazon Angrante (The Bleeding Heart). O rganized by the Institute of
C ontem porary
A rt, B oston. Seattle: U niversity of W ashington Press, 1991: 39.
57
C h ic a n o
w o rk w a s still ig n o re d
in m a n y m u se u m s
C h ic a n o
a rtists b e g a n g a th e rin g
to g e th e r a n d c re a tin g g ro u p e x h ib its th a t
w e re in te n d e d
to b rin g a so c ia l re v o lu tio n
w ith th e e x h ib it "N e w
A m e ric a n
L ib e ra tio n
a n d in stitu tio n s. 1 5 4
th ro u g h a rt. S u c h w a s th e c a se
S y m b o ls fo r L a N u e v a R a z a " b y th e M e x ic a n
A rt F ro n t (M A L A F )
in O a k la n d ,
in sp ire d a g ro u p o f a rtists th a t, in 1 9 7 0 , e sta b lish e d
S a n F ra n c isc o .
o rg a n iz a tio n
c u ltu re .
T h e G a le ria w a s fo u n d e d
w ith th e e x p re ss p u rp o se
1 9 6 9 . T h is e x h ib it
th e G a le ria d e la R a z a in
a s a n o n -p ro fit
o f p ro m o tin g
c o m m u n ity
C h ic a n o
a rts
a rt a n d
i55
T h e 1 9 7 8 e x h ib it
C h ic a g o ,
Frida,
a t th e M u se u m
m a y b e sa id a s b e in g re sp o n sib le
K a h lo e x h ib its.
H o w e v e r,
a rtists d isp la y in g
o f C o n te m p o ra ry
fo r sta rtin g th e ra sh o f F rid a
o u t o f th is e x h ib it a lso c a m e th e id e a o f C h ic a n o
w o rk o f th e ir o w n in h o m a g e to F rid a .
T h e first in sta n c e
o f th is, k n o w n to th is a u th o r, is se e n a t th e G a le ria
d e la R a z a . R e n e Y a n e z , th e n d ire c to r, trie d to g e t th e tra v e lin g
in th e G a le ria .
Art in
e x h ib it
Frida
W h e n u n a b le to , Y a n e z in v ite d B a y A re a a rtists to e x h ib it
th e ir w o rk h o n o rin g
F rid a K a h lo . A lth o u g h
F rid a 's
h a v e b e e n n e w to m a n y o f th e c itie s th a t th e C h ic a g o
w a s w e ll re m e m b e re d
in S a n F ra n c isc o .
a rt a n d life sto ry m a y
e x h ib it tra v e le d
to , sh e
H a v in g v isite d a n d liv e d in S a n
1 5 4 S eeth e w eb site fo r artist C arm en L o m as G arza:
h ttp ://w w w ./2 . en . u tex as. ed u /sh eilal3 14s96/projecrsl g ro u p 4 /can n en .h trn l
58
,
F ra n c isc o
tw ic e d u rin g h e r life F rid a h a d m a n y frie n d s th e re w h o fo n d ly
re m e m b e re d
id e n tify in g
h e r. E v e n y o u n g a rtists, b o rn a fte r h e r d e a th , h a d b e g u n
w ith h e r.
T h e G a le ria h a d , sin c e 1 9 7 4 , h o ste d a y e a rly e x h ib it fo r th e D a y o f
th e D e a d c e re m o n ie s.
H o w e v e r,
in 1 9 7 9 , th e h o m a g e to F rid a K a h lo b e c a m e
th e first e x h ib it in w h ic h a sp e c ific p e rso n w a s h o n o re d .
in c lu d e d
in th e e x h ib it p a in te d
e x h ib it w a s a n a lta r d e d ic a te d
se lf-p o rtra its
S o m e a rtists
w ith F rid a . T h e h ig h lig h t
to F rid a . Im o g e n C u n n in g h a m 's
o f th e
p o rtra it o f
F rid a h a d b e e n p la c e d a s th e c e n tra l p o in t o f th e a lta r. A ro u n d h e r p o rtra it
w e re a fe w ty p ic a l ite m s o f th e D a y o f th e D e a d c e le b ra tio n s,
in c lu d in g
bone
b re a d , su g a r lo a v e s in b a sk e ts, a n d su g a r sk u lls w ith D ie g o a n d F rid a 's
n a m e s. B rin g in g
fo llo w in g
a little m o re p e rso n a l sig n ific a n c e
ite m s; a to y b e d h o ld in g
to th e a lta r w e re th e
a to y F rid a , b ird s in a c o ffin , rib b o n s
and
fru it.
T h e o p e n in g
n ig h t fo r th is e x h ib it d isp la y e d h o w th e B a y A re a
a d o re d a n d re m e m b e re d
F rid a . W o m e n w h o h a d k n o w n F rid a sh o w e d
w e a rin g
n e c k la c e s
p re -C o lu m b ia n
up
th a t F rid a h a d g iv e n th e m a s g ifts. T h e y
w e n t a ro u n d g iv in g e a c h o th e r lip -stic k k isse s o n th e c h e e k s in re m e m b ra n c e
o f F rid a . A m a lia
155
M e sa B a in s o f th e G a le ria sa id "F rid a
e m b o d ie d
th e w h o le
S e e th e w e b site fo r th e G a le ria d e la R a z a A rc h iv e s:
h ttp ://w w w /lib ra ry .
u c sb .e d u /sp e c c o ll/g d lr .h tm l
59
notion of culture for C hicana w om en. S he inspired us. H er w orks didn't
have self-pity, they had strength.t'"
M any contem porary
artists have been inspired by F rida's
life and art.
H errera stated that fem inist artists see F rida as a role m odel. S he painted in a
country dom inated
by m en. S he broke the barrier, the taboo of'w om ens
blood. S he did not paint in the dom inate m uralist tradition, but on a sm all
intim ate scale. S he did not paint w ith the audience of m en in m ind, but
painted for herself, a woman.l "
A rtists during the fem inist m ovem ent began m aking representations
of F rida in their art. T he m ost w idely know n of these is Judy C hicago's
The
Dinner Party. T his piece consisted of a table w ith plates designed for
specific m ythical and historical w om en through out the ages. A round the
table w ere groups of w om en w ho w ere placed in relation to those at the
table. O ver one thousand
included
their significance
w om en w ere represented.
to society, contributions
did their lives illustrate w om en's
experiences
w as chosen for her ability to w ithstand
156
K am in: 44.
157
H errera, H ayden. New York Times.
C riteria for those chosen
m ade for w om en, and
and provide a m odel. F rida
all her suffering w hile living in a
60
m ale d o m in an t
so ciety .1 5 S
ex h ib it h o n o rin g
M iriam
The Dinner Party w as recen tly in clu d ed in an
w o m en in a L o s A n g eles M u seu m . 1 5 9
S ch ap iro , w h o w as w o rk in g
o n a series o f h o m ag es
to F rid a,
stated : "F rid a is a real fem in ist artist in th e sen se th at d u rin g a p erio d in
h isto ry w h en th e accep ted
m o d es o f tru th w ere tru th seen th ro u g h
m en 's
ey es, sh e g av e u s tru th seen th ro u g h th e ey es o f w o m an . S h e p ain ted th e
k in d s o f ag o n ies w o m en
b e fem in in e
m ascu lin ity .
in p articu lar
an d to fu n ctio n
,,160
S ch ap iro
w ith an iro n w ill th at w e asso ciate w ith
recen tly h ad a sh o w en titled "A S eam less
w h ich p o rtray s relatio n sh ip s
co n tem p o rary .
su ffer, an d sh e h ad th e cap acity b o th to
b etw een fem ale artists o f th e p ast an d th e
H er w o rk w as in sp ired in p art b y F rid a K ah lo .
A lth o u g h
161
artists, esp ecially fem in ist artists, h av e b een creatin g w o rk
in sp ired b y F rid a sin ce th e fem in ist m o v em en t
b eg an , th e larg est b o d y o f
artists w h o p ay h o m ag e to F rid a are fro m th e C h ican o co m m u n ity .
n o n -C h ican o
L ife,"
artists seem to b e in sp ired b y F rid a as a stro n g w o m an ,
fem in ist p ain ter w h o o v ercam e th e m ach ism o
o f a m ale d o m in ated
W h ile
an d a
co u n try ,
1 5 8 C h icag o , Ju d y . The Dinner Party: a symbol of our heritage. G ard en C ity , N Y :
A n ch o r P resslD o u b led ay , 1 9 7 9 : 9 8 , 2 1 2 .
1 5 9K n ig h t, C h risto p h er. "A rt R ev iew ; M o re F am in e T h an F east; F o cu sin g o n th e
F law ed 'D in n er P arty ' U n d erm in es 'S ex u al P o litics'; H o m e E d itio n ." Los Angeles
Times. M ay 2 , 1 9 9 6 : F -l.
1 6 0H errera, New York Times, 1990.
1 6 1S ee th e w eb site in w h ich S h ap iro 's ex h ib it p o rtray s th e relatio n sh ip w ith fem ale
artists o f th e p ast: h ttp ://w w w .jm u .ed u /m ed iarel/saw sh o w .h tm l; A lso see M ariam
S h ap iro 's w eb site reg ard in g h er w o rk in sp ired b y F rid a:
h ttp ://w w w .jm u .ed u /m ed iarel/feb I4 9 6 .h tm l
61
C h ic a n o
a rtis ts lo o k to w a rd
a rtis ts w h o re p re s e n t
F rid a fo r d e e p e r in s p ira tio n .
h e r a s th e s a in t o f s u ffe rin g
g u is e o f th e V irg in o f G u a d a lu p e .
F rid a o f th e A fflic te d .
re c o g n iz e d
81.
In M e x ic o s h e is n o w re fe rre d to a s
G u e l, h a s p la c e d F rid a 's
h is F rid a /G u a d a lu p e
s e lf-p o rtra it
" T h e B ro k e n
fa c e o n th e im a g e
In th re e s u c h c o lla g e
im a g e w ith p re -C o lu m b ia n
s y m b o ls . O n e w o rk in c lu d e s a Z a p a tis ta
a c o p y o f F rid a 's
h e r b ro k e n
a n d e v e n p la c e h e r in th e
a s th e V irg in o f G u a d a lu p e .
w o rk s G u e l h a s s u rro u n d e d
a n d M e x ic a n
th e C h ic a n o
162
A lo c a l a rtis t, L o re n z o
c u s to m a rily
It is
C o lu m n "
m a s k . A n o th e r
p la c e s .
(1 9 4 4 ), w h ic h d is p la y s
b o d y , a n d G u e l h a s p la c e d th is im a g e o n to p o f th e V irg in 's
im a g e . In e a c h p ie c e
milagros'"
p la y a
s p e c ific ro le in d e c ip h e rin g
w o rk . T w o o f th e w o rk s h a v e m ila g ro s re p la c in g
F rid a 's
th e
a rm s a n d le g s ,
th re e h a v e m ila g ro s
o f h e r h e a rt. T h e s e a ll re p re s e n t th e s u ffe rin g
e x p e rie n c e d
life th a t is n o w s e e n a s a lm o s t s a c re d .t'" T h e u s e o f
m ila g ro s
d u rin g
a tta c h e d
to F rid a 's
im a g e h e r c u lt-lik e s ta tu s b y p la c in g
she
h e r in th e
g u is e o f th e s a in t fro m w h ic h b le s s in g s w ill c o m e .
162
S e e w e b s ite fo r a rtis t K a th y Y a n c e y :
h ttp ://w w w .c ln .c o m /n e w s s ta n d /0 4 2 0 9 6 /A _ B Y R D .H T M
163
M ila g ro s
(m ira c le s ) a re tin y m e ta l c h a rm s in th e s h a p e o f a rm s , le g s , e y e s , a h e a d ,
o r a h e a rt. T h e s e m e ta ls a re p in n e d o n th e c lo a k o r g o w n o f a s a in t in c h u rc h in o rd e r to
b e g fo r D iv in e a s s is ta n c e in m a tte rs o f m o n e y , h e a lth o r th e h e a rt. S e e ; R ic h m o n d ,
R o b in . : 1 3 9 .
164
P e rs o n a l in te rp re ta tio n
fro m c o n v e rs a tio n s w ith a n d v ie w in g th e a rtw o rk o f a rtis t
L o re n z o G u e l.
62
M e x ic a n
b y c re a tin g
a rtist A lic ia R iv e ro h a s c a p ita liz e d
o n th e F rid a K a h lo c u lt
sm a ll F rid a a lta rs, c a lle d " O f re n d a s" , fo r th e D a y o f th e D e a d
c e le b ra tio n s.
O n e x h ib it a t th e A rt o f th e P e o p le G a lle ry d u rin g N o v e m b e r
1 9 9 6 , th e se a lta rs d isp la y d iffe re n t
p ic tu re s o f F rid a . T h e a lta rs a re th e n
d e c o ra te d
w ith m in ia tu re
re p lic a s o f ty p ic a l D a y o f th e D e a d o ffe rin g s
in c lu d in g
p ie c e s o f b re a d , flo w e rs, a n d
calaverast'"
M a n y a rtists re la te th e ir a rtw o rk to p e rso n a l e x p e rie n c e s
a b le to u se in id e n tify in g
F rid a , h a s o v e rc o m e
th e m se lv e s
th e su p p re sse d
C h ic a n o
a rt m o v e m e n t
b e lie v e d
to b e a d d re ssa b le
w ith F rid a . C a rm e n L o m a s G a rz a , lik e
ro le w o m e n
a rtists h a v e b e e n p u t in . T h e
h e lp e d m a le a rtists, w h o se su b je c t m a tte r w a s
in th e p u b lic sp h e re . H o w e v e r,
w o m e n 's
still h e ld a s p riv a te . L o m a s G a rz a h a s b e e n a b le to o v e rc o m e
th ro u g h
e x h ib its
th a t th e y a re
a rt w a s
th is stig m a
o f h e r w o rk th a t sta te h e r so c ia l c o n c e rn s.t'" A m o n g h e r
m a n y w o rk s, L o m a s G a rz a c re a te d a n a lta r to F rid a K a h lo , e n title d " D a y o f
th e D e a th : O ffe rin g
F rid a 's
165
p a in tin g
to F rid a K a h lo ." P re se n t o n th e a lta r a re : a p ic tu re o f
as a T ehuana
b rid e , a p ic tu re o f F rid a a n d D ie g o 's
A rt o f th e P e o p le G a lle ry , P o rtla n d O re g o n . N o v e m b e r
w e d d in g ,
1 9 9 6 , D a y o f th e D e a d
E x h ib itio n .
166Se e
w e b site fo r a rtist C a rm e n L o m a s G a rz a :
h ttp ://w w w /2 .e n . u te x a s.e d u /sh e ila /J
l4 s9 6 /p ro je c ts/g ro u p 4 /c a rm e n .h tm l
63
a p alette w ith p ain t an d b ru sh es, a rep resen tatio n o f th e b leed in g h eart m o tif,
d o lls, su g ar sk u lls, an d so fo rth .
167
A rtist K ath y Y an cey h as created an ex h ib it th at p ay s h o m ag e so lely
to F rid a, en titled "F rid a K ah lo , G o d d ess o f A rt." Y an cey created th e w o rk s
w ith tw o reaso n s in m in d . F irst, sh e w as fascin ated w ith th e cu lt o f F rid a.
S eco n d ly , b ecau se sh e h ad recen tly b een sev erely ill w h ich , lik e F rid a,
fo rced h er th o u g h ts in w ard ly an d fo cu sed o n p ain . Y an cey v isited F rid a's
h o u se in h er search fo r th e d iv in ity o f F rid a an d fem in in ity . Y an cey saw
F rid a's h o u se as a sh rin e an d th u s created h er o w n sh rin es to F rid a. M o st o f
Y an cey 's sh rin es are o f sm all assem b lag es in b o x es co m b in in g m in iatu re to y
an im als, clo th flo w ers an d v in es, fab rics, cu t p ap er sh ap es, an d fig u res
scu lp ted fro m ch eeseclo th .
16~
L ik e Y an cey , artist M o n ica C astillo d ep icts im ag es o f p ain an d
sy m b o ls o f su fferin g an d m arty rd o m . C astillo 's p iece en titled "S elf-p o rtrait
W ith Id en tify in g M ark s" rev eals six teen p ain rid d en faces
169
F rid a's fascin atio n w ith th e d u ality o flife an d d eath an d th e D ay o f
th e D ead celeb ratio n s is cap tu red in th e w o rk b y L au ra A g u ilar w h o se b lack
167
L o m as G arza, C arm en . "D ay o f D eath : O fferin g to F rid a K ah lo "
Parnassus.
V 1 7 n l, 1 9 9 1 : 4 5 .
1 6 ' S ee w eb site fo r artist K ath y Y an cey :
h ttp ://w w w .cln .co m /n ew sstan d l0 4 2 0 9 6 /A _ B Y R D .H T M
in 'E sp iritu '; Art rev iew ; C o m p ellin g
in th e
b ack g ro u n d ; H o m e E d itio n ." Los Angeles Times. O cto b er 7 , 1 9 9 5 : F-I:
169
O ilm an , L eah . "F eelin g p u ll o f M ex ico 's p ast
w o rk o f II m o d ern -d ay artists is featu red , b u t h isto ry 's clash o f cu ltu res h o v ers
64
and w hite photographs
sel f-portrart.
0 f"'
rer
of grave sites w ith flow er offerings and a sem i-nude
po I"inca 1 overtones.
R epresentatives
170
of Frida have related untold sufferings and pain as
w ith Y ancey. T here are several other view s of Frida as w ell. A rtists Y reina
C ervantes exhibited
a sm all w ater color entitled "H om age
to Frida K ahlo."
T his scene depicted Frida nude and pregnant w ith tw ins, and holding a
picture of C ervantes'
.
nurtunng
.
or m atnarc
face. T hus Frida is being com m em orated
h a I presence.
A rtist C onsuelo
C astaneda
as a
171
took a ceram ic likeness of cartoon B etty
B oop and placed the face of D iego R ivera on her forehead. T his piece, m ade
in 1993, is a color photograph
self-portrait
w ith D iego's
entitled "B erty/Frida"
face on her forehead.
and m im ics Frida's
172
M any artists, such as V ivian Y barra, refer to Frida w hen sim ply
trying to identify w ith their heritage. H er w ork entitled "H eritage
.
IS
U nspoken"
a h om age to Frid
n a. 173.
170 C urtis, C athy. "W om en's w ork; art review ; the contem porary C hicana pieces in this
group show delve into rich fem ale legacies, but m ost of them com e up dry; O range
C ounty E dition." Los Angeles Times. A pril 9, 1996: F-l.
171 W oodw ard, Josef. "Sights; E xhibit of L atino w orks has a m ystical quality; Paintings
at C arnegie A rt M useum in O xnard are in different styles, but all portray expressions
of inner life; V entura W est E dition." Los Angeles Times. M ay 12, 1994: J-4.
l72 K night, C hristopher. "Independent Spirit L ives on in 'M ajas'; T he show at the O tis
A rt G allery w obbles a bit in accom plishm ent,but the w orks are refreshing in their
refusal to follow old w ays of considering m odem M exican" Los Angeles Times. July
I6,1994:F-1.
173 See w eb site of V ivian Y barra's "H eritage U nspoken":
http://w w w .acs.csulb.edu/-d49er/Issue28/28ncar.htm l
65
M a n y g a y a rtists fin d in F rid a a so u rc e o f stre n g th d u e to h e r o p e n
lia iso n s w ith w o m e n
o c c a sio n a lly
M adonna
a n d h e r u n c o n v e n tio n a l
w o re m e n 's
c lo th in g
a n d e m p h a siz e d
re fe rre d to h e r a s a 'd ra m a
H o m o se x u a l
queen.
to g e n d e r.
h e r m u sta c h e .
She
P o p sin g e r
,1 7 4
a rtists a n d w rite rs so u g h t o u t F rid a d u rin g h e r life .
M a n y w ro te p o e m s d e d ic a te d
th e first to re c o g n iz e
a p p ro a c h
F rid a 's
sta te d h e rse lf a s b ise x u a l,
O n e c o n te m p o ra ry
a s d id F rid a , is N a h u m
to h e r. A u th o r B ille te r sta te d th a t th e y w e re
u n iq u e n e ss.
175
In h e r a rt F rid a n e v e r o p e n ly
b u t a llu d e d to h e r a n d ro g y n o u s
se x u a lity .
a rtist w h o stru g g le s w ith th e p re ssu re s
B . Z e n il. F o r Z e n il, c o n fro n tin g
o f so c ie ty
a c o n se rv a tiv e
so c ie ty a s a g a y a rtist is m u c h th e sa m e a s w h a t F rid a h a d to d e a l w ith b e in g
a w om an
in a p a tria rc h a l
so c ie ty . A lso lik e F rid a , m o st o f h is w o rk is o f se lf-
p o rtra its th a t a re sa id to b e d e v o id o f se lf-p ity . H e d e p ic ts h im se lf p o ise d a s
a m a rty re d
sa in t
176
In o n e p a in tin g , e n title d "F rid a in m y H e a rt", Z e n il
d e p ic ts h is b a re c h e st, re v e a lin g
se e n .
174
a n o v e rsiz e d h e a rt in w h ic h F rid a 's
fa c e is
177
H e rre ra , New York Times. 1990.
B ille te r. The World of Frida Kahlo: 1 8 9 . R e fe rs to : S a lv a d o r N o v o , X a v ie r
V illa u rru tia , a n d C a rlo s P e llic e r.
1 7 6 S e e w e b site fo r N a h u m B . Z e n il's e x h ib it a t M e x ic a n M u se u m :
h ttp ://w w w .sfb a y g u a rd ia n .c o m /A n E /9 6_ 0 3 /0 3 2 7 9 6 c c .h trn l
175
177 "H isp a n ic C a le n d a r." Hispanic. Ju n e 1 9 9 6 : 8 0 . T h e p ic tu re m e n tio n e d w a s
d isp la y e d in th e 8 0 -p ie c e e x h ib it e n title d "W itn e ss to th e S e l£ 'T e stig o d e l S e r",
e x h ib ite d a t th e M e x ic a n M u se u m , S a n F ra n c isc o th ro u g h S e p t I. Z e n il is fro m
V e ra c ru z .
66
T h ro u g h
a rtis t re p re s e n ta tio n s
N o o th e r a rtis t h a s in s p ire d
S h e s ta n d s
fo r fe m in is m
s o g re a t a fo llo w in g
fo r C h ic a n a
g a y a rtis ts . H e r a b ility to e n d u re
p la c e h e r in th e g u is e
b e b e s to w e d
upon
s ta tu s h e r im a g e
it h a s b e c o m e
h e r. S u rp a s s in g
a n d fe m in is t
o f G u a d a lu p e ,
fro m
u s e d b y a rtis ts
th e p o p u la r
th in g
am ong
a rtis ts .
a rtis ts a n d fo r s tre n g th
th e h ig h e s t
m e re re p re s e n ta tio n
as a m eans
a rt in to c u ltu re .
c o n te m p o ra ry
p a in in h e r life h a s in s p ire d
o f th e V irg in
is n o w
F rid a h a s tra n s c e n d e d
fo r
a rtis ts w h o
h o n o r th a t c a n
in to s a in t-lik e
to b e a s s o c ia te d
w ith
h e r,
to d o .
67
S U F F E R IN G A N D B E A U T Y P E R S O N IF IE D IN F A s m a N
F rid a K a h lo ' s c h a ris m a tic c h a ra c te r le n t its e lf
fla m b o y a n t a ttire .
In
in
p a rt to h e r
c h o o s in g th e c o s tu m e o f th e T e h u a n a w o m e n F rid a
id e n tifie d h e rs e lf w ith th e In d ia n p o p u la tio n o f M e x ic o . S h e a ls o h e lp e d to
b rin g life to th e m y th o f p e a s a n t a s s e n s u a l. T h e e m b ro id e re d b lo u s e a n d
lo n g flo w in g s k irts o f th e T e h u a n a c o s tu m e s y m b o liz e d a s e x u a l a p p e a l. It
w a s m o s t lik e ly d u e to th e a rt o f flirta tio n e n a b le d w ith th e lo n g s k irts th a t
le d F rid a to c h o o s e th e c o s tu m e .
F rid a 's a ttire d re w a tte n tio n w h e re e v e r s h e w e n t. W h e n
in
N ew
Y o rk a n d P a ris s h e w a s s a id to b e a " tra ffic s to p p e r a n d a h o s te s s 's
d e lig h t.,,1 7 8G a lle ry o w n e r J u lie n L e v y , re c a lls th e e x c ite m e n t F rid a c re a te d
in N e w Y o rk w h e n a g ro u p o f c h ild re n fo llo w e d h e r in to a b a n k a n d a s k e d
178
M u lv e ry :
18.
68
w here the circus w as.
179
In Paris, Frida's
designer Elsa Schiaparelli w ho produced
clothing caught the attention of
a line of clothing called "robe
,,180
·
M a d am e R rvera.
A lthough Frida thrived on all the attention her clothing brought her it
w as not the reason she had chosen to w ear the costum es. She had not
intentionally
tried to identify w ith any specific m yth about Indians in
M exico. The Tehuantepec
beautiful, intelligent,
m atriarchal
w om en of O axaca are know n for being elegant,
brave and strong. A ccording to legend, theirs is a
society w here w om en run the m arkets, handle fiscal m atters and
dom inate the m en. A uthor H ayden H errera states that the "association
these characteristics
w ith
w ould not have displeased Frida K ahlo - it probably
w ould have am used her - her selection of the Tehuana costum e sim ply
because it w as pretty and festive w ould be m ore in character.,,181
In
fact,
Frida herself stated that she w ore the costum e out of the art of flirting. The
long skirts covered her injured leg and foot.
Frida used her clothing as m eans of com m unicating
her view s.
B efore she m arried D iego R ivera she often w ore m en's clothing. This w as
partly to hide her leg and also to identify herself as an independent
179
Levy, Julian. Memoir alan Art Gallery. N ew Y ork: G . P. Putnam 's
Sons, 1977:
16.; H errera, H ayden. "Portrait of Frida K ahlo as a Tehuana." Heresies. W inter 1978:
57.
180 B reslow , N ancy. "Frida K ahlo: A Cry of Joy and Pain" Americas.
V 32,n3. M arch
1980: 38.
69
wom an. 182The Tehuana costum e, however, identified Frida with her ethnic
heritage. Frida was active in the m ovem ent of artists and intellectuals
post-revolutionary
M exico that was bringing attention to things native. The
passion for "M exicanism o",
prim itivism
in
that which was distinctly M exican, celebrated
of style and subject m atter in the arts. This im pulse has been
seen as a leftist, anti-colonialist
political statem ent. Nonetheless,
by
choosing the Tehuana costum e Frida "was to em body a powerful icon of
. ,,183
cu Itura I 1identity.
.
The new belief in nativism led to an ardent exploration
arts, including regional costum es. Frida's
of the popular
selection of the attire inspired
other influential wom en and eventually sophisticated
urban wom en began
wearing native costum es for their everyday attire. For exam ple, Anna
Pavlova wore a native costum e when dancing a M exican ballet in M exico
City. Likewise,
Rosa Rolando, a friend of Frida and Diego's,
"m anaged
to
look m ore Tehuana than the Tehuanas by braiding her hair and wearing the
Tehuana garb.,,184 M iguel Covarrubias,
popularity
Rosa's husband, also spread the
of the native look. A writer, painter and cartoonist for Vanity Fair
181Herrera. Heresies. 1978: 57.
Kettenrnann: 26.
183 Baddeley, Oriana. "Her Dress Hangs Here: De-frocking the Kahlo Cult" Oxford Art
Journal. V141nl, 1991: 12.
184Herrera. Heresies. 1978: 58.
182
70
he wrote about the Tehuana women in his book
1946.
Mexico South, published in
185
In the I 940s, the attraction to nativism, often referred to as the 'cult
ofIndianism,'
expanded to bohemian groups in the United States. This
reflected the prevalent thought that since W orld W ar I, M exican cultural
nationalism
European
had been strengthened
by what was viewed as the failure of
civilization. Author M ichael Newman points to Spengler's
Decline of the West as an instrumental influence, as well as Europeans like
D.H. Lawrence who saw M exico as a "culture of great depth in the sense of
nearness to the earth ... determined
heaviness of earth.
,,186
by a primordial life ... the original
Herrera takes this argument further when she
suggests that for both Frida and urban women in all parts of the world,
dressing in native costumes was inspired by the "notion that the peasant is
more earth-bound
sophisticate.
,,187
and therefore more deeply sensual than the urban
This attire encouraged women to feel free about their
bodies, unlike the tailored clothes that bound them in fashions derivative of
men's fashions. Likewise, men preferred women who dressed in native
styles. This too points to the notion of clothing being related to the concept
of the natural, sexual peasant and therefore views the female as nature rather
!85
Ibid.: 58.
186 Newman,
M ichael. 'The Ribbon Around the Bomb." Art in America. April 1983:
165.
71
th a n c u ltu re . T h u s , w o m e n id e n tifie d th e m s e lv e s w ith th e ir s e x u a l n a tu re
w h e n th e y d o n n e d th e n a tiv e c o s tu m e s .
188
A s in m a n y a s p e c ts in h e r life , F rid a 's a c tio n s w e re in re fle c tio n to
th o s e o f h e r h u s b a n d D ie g o . It w a s n o t u n til a fte r th e ir w e d d in g th a t s h e
b e g a n w e a rin g th e T e h u a n a c o s tu m e . S h e c h o s e to d re s s in th is fa s h io n
p a rtia lly to p le a s e D ie g o a s m u c h a s to p le a s e h e rs e lf. In d is c u s s in g h e r
p a in tin g
The Two Fridas
(1 9 3 9 ), F rid a e x p la in s th a t th e o n e w e a rin g th e
T e h u a n a c o s tu m e w a s th e o n e th a t D ie g o lo v e d . T h e F rid a w e a rin g a w h ite
E u ro p e a n s ty le d re s s w a s th e o n e th a t D ie g o n o lo n g e r lo v e d . L ik e w is e , th e
p a in tin g
Self Portrait with Cropped Hair
(1 9 4 0 ), s u g g e s ts th a t F rid a w o re
th e c o s tu m e to p le a s e D ie g o . In th is p a in tin g s h e s its w e a rin g a m a n 's s u ite .
S h e h a s c u t o ff h e r lo n g h a ir, th e s tra n d s o f w h ic h a re v is ib le in th e s p a c e
a ro u n d h e r. B y c u ttin g o ff h e r h a ir a n d tra d in g h e r n a tiv e c o s tu m e fo r th a t o f
a m a n 's s u ite F rid a h a d a b a n d o n e d th e c h a ra c te ris tic s o f fe m in in e s e x u a lity .
F rid a 's n a tiv e lo o k h a s e n h a n c e d th e p o p u la rity o f h e r im a g e a s a n
In d ig e n o u s p rin c e s s o r g o d d e s s . D ie g o d e lig h te d in th e p u b lic ity th a t F rid a 's
a p p e a ra n c e a ttra c te d . D ie g o w a s q u ic k to e s p o u s e h is v ie w s o f F rid a 's
c lo th in g , e v e n m a k in g th e m in to a p o litic a l is s u e . H e o n c e c o m m e n te d to a
Time
m a g a z in e re p o rte r:
187
H e rre ra . Heresies.
188
Ib id .: 5 8 .
1978:58.
72
T h e c la s s ic M e x ic a n
T h e M e x ic a n
w om en
d r e s s h a s b e e n c r e a te d
w h o d o n o t w e a r it d o n o t b e lo n g
b u t a r e m e n ta lly a n d e m o tio n a lly
w h ic h th e y w is h to b e lo n g ,
b u re a u c ra c y .
B y w e a r in g
th e T e h u a n a
c o s tu m e
c la s s to
a n d F re n c h
190
in th e c r e a tio n
th a t th e p a c k a g in g
w a s a n a tte m p t to c o n c e a l h e r d a m a g e d
P e rh a p s
of
c r e a te d
by
b o d y a n d a t th e s a m e
th e c o s tu m e
r a th e r th a n a f r a il, b r o k e n ,
m a d e F r id a
a n d b e d r id d e n
w h o c o u ld n o t b a r e c h ild r e n .
W ith th e r e s e n t u p s u r g e
in d u s tr y
in p o p u la r ity
o f F r id a 's
im a g e th e f a s h io n
h a s b e g u n to p o r tr a y h e r o n c e a g a in a s a n e x o tic s y m b o l to d e n o te
L a tin A m e r ic a n
c u ltu r e .
u s e d f o r a d v e r tis in g
in L o n d o n
T ehuana
d u r in g
w e d d in g
F r id a 's
th e e x h ib it
p a in tin g ,
Self Portrait as a Tehuana,
Art in Latin America
a t th e H a y w a r d
th e s u m m e r o f 1 9 8 9 . T h is s e lf - p o r tr a it
d r e s s w ith D ie g o 's
A u th o r
im a g e o n h e r f o r e h e a d
J o a n B o r s a s ta te s th a t F r id a 's
w as
G a lle r y
is o f F r id a in a
a s th e th ir d e y e .
im a g e w a s u s e d b y th e e x h ib it a s a m e a n s o f 's e d u c in g '
a u d ie n c e .
p o r tr a y
F r id a f a c ilita te d
p o in ts to th e p o s s ib ility
f e e l m o r e v is ib le , m o r e c o n c r e te ,
F r id a 's
to th e p e o p le ,
o n a f o r e ig n
i.e ., th e g r e a t A m e r ic a n
tim e to m a k e u p f o r h e r in s u f f ic ie n c y .
w om an
dependent
189
h e r o w n m y th . H e r r e r a
th e c o s tu m e
b y p e o p le f o r p e o p le .
th e
im a g e h a s b e e n a s k e d to
m o r e th a n it r e a lly e m b o d ie s .i'"
189
" F a s h io n N o te s " Time. M a y 3 , 1 9 3 8 .
190
H e r r e r a . Heresies.
191
B o r s a , J o a n . " F r id a K a h lo : M a r g in a liz a tio n a n d th e C r itic a l F e m a le S u b je c t." Third
Text. [ L o n d o n ] n 1 2 ,
1978: 58.
A ugust 1990: 28.
73
C o in c id in g
s e c tio n
w ith th e e x h ib it th e f a s h io n
m a g a z in e
Elle
a
o n th e lif e a n d a r t o f F r id a in its M a y 1 9 8 9 is s u e . T h is a r tic le
s p o tlig h te d
F r id a a s th e 's p ir it o f M e x ic o .
p r e s e n te d
Elle
h e r o in e
F r id a 's
b io g r a p h y
m a g a z in e 's
by H ayden
p o r tr a y a l
A lth o u g h
tr a g ic lif e s to r y a p p e a r m o d e ls
p o u ty m o d e ls
d re sse d
s e e m to m a k e s u f f e r in g
th e a r tic le is
s ta f f , it a p p e a r s
to b e ta k e n
H e rre ra .
o f F r id a h a s c o m b in e d
w ith th a t o f a s e n s u a l h e r o in e .
" F r id a
,1 9 2
a s a n o r ig in a l w o r k b y th e m a g a z in e 's
s tr a ig h t f r o m
h e r im a g e o f tr a g ic
A lo n g w ith p a s s a g e s
in 'F r id a '
th a t d is c u s s h e r
s ty le c lo th in g .
The young
a p p e a r s e x u a l, r o m a n tic iz in g
th e
lo o k o f p a in , th e F r id a lo o k o f v ir tu e a n d th e F r id a lo o k o f M e x ic a n
p e a s a n t.,,1 9 3 T h e a r tic le d e p ic ts F r id a a s a s y m b o l o f M e x ic o ,
d re n c h e d
M e x ic o ,
r e m a in
b e a u tif u l,
.
m a n ta
I s u f free rnin g s ,
a n e a r th m o th e r o r e a r th g o d d e s s
F e b ru a ry
1990,
Vogue
c lo th in g
of sun-
f ig u r e , w h o w a s a b le to
e x o tic , a n d s e n s u a l in s p ite o f tr e m e n d o u s
p h y s ic a l a n d
194
T h e m a g a z in e
th e
f e a tu r e d
Vogue w a s
Vogue p r in te d
a r tic le m o d e ls
q u ic k to f o llo w
a n a r tic le e x h ib itin g
th e e x a m p le
'F r id a e s q u e '
set by
Elle. In
c lo th in g .
In
s e e m to f lir t w ith th e f a c t th a t F r id a w o r e th e
to h id e h e r in ju r e d b o d y , w h ile th e y f la u n t a h e a lth y u n b r o k e n
f ig u r e . A u th o r
192
B a d d e le y .
193
B o rsa
194
I b id .: 2 8 - 2 9 .
O r ia n a B a d d e le y
s ta te d " th e r e
is a p o ig n a n t
ir o n y in th e w a y
1991: 10.
, 1 9 9 0 ·..2 9
74
clothing, w hich on one level served to hide F rida's
broken body, falls or is
lifted by the m odel to reveal a luxuriantly perfect physique.Y "
In both articles F rida's
conception
·
im age has been used to represent a broad
of M exico itself, one of "exotic, passionate, yet constantly
.
.
strugg 1m g against pam an
A dditional
d d
.
eceit.
interest from the fashion industry has produced
show in P erth, A ustralia in 1990.
F rida's
,,196
197
T his also coincided w ith an exhibit of
w ork at the A rt G allery of S outh A ustralia in A delaide.
fashion industry has epitom ized
a fashion
F rida as the stereotypical
198
T hus the
im age of M exico.
196
B addeley. 1991: 12.
Ibid.: 12.
197
H errera. New York Times.
19'
The Art of Frida Kahlo. E ssays by T eresa del C onde and C harles M erew ether.
195
A delaide: Art G allery of S outh A ustralia,
1990.
75
IC O N
OF STRENGTH
W h ile
FOR
th e p o p s in g e r M a d o n n a
in th e 1 9 8 0 s , F r id a lik e w is e
becam e
M adonna
a n d F r id a c h a lle n g e d
b e h a v io r .
B o th m a s q u e r a d e d
e x p lo ite d
c u ltu r a l
id e n titie s
s o in s is te n tly
U ltim a te ly ,
U n ite d
m o re s
199
s o c ia l s ta n d a r d s
in c o s tu m e s
o f a c c e p ta b le
to e n h a n c e
r e lig io u s
ic o n o g r a p h y
B e r g m a n - C a r to n .
sexual
B o th
to " c o n s titu te
e s s e n tia l
s e lf .
,,1 9 9
a s w e ll a s f o r
c o m m u n ity .
in M e x ic o
as a sym bol am ong
d u r in g h e r lif e a n d s u b s e q u e n tly
S ta te s a f te r h e r d e a th . F r id a w a s lib e r a te d
o f h e r p a r e n ts '
B o th
th e ir s e x u a lity .
s y m b o ls o f s tr e n g th f o r y o u n g w o m e n
h a d a lr e a d y b e e n id e n tif ie d
c o m m u n ity
a s y m b o l o f s e x u a l r e v o lu tio n
f lu id th a t th e y r e f u s e a s in g u la r ,
b o th b e c a m e
F r id a K a h lo
becam e
C O M M U N IT Y
a sy m b o l o f se x u a l fre e d o m .
s ig n s a n d r e a r r a n g e d
th o s e in th e h o m o s e x u a l
a n d le s b ia n
THE HOM OSEXUAL
c la s s a n d g e n e r a tio n
th e g a y
in th e
f r o m th e c u s to m a r y
sexual
a n d h a d a n o p e n - m in d e d
Art tn America: 36
76
approach toward sex. She had' come of age' in the 1920s. The freer sexual
liberalism of the time was readily accepted by her. Like many women of the
time, Frida grasped the concept that sexual freedom meant more than the
permission to take lovers. This new found freedom also meant that it was
now acceptable to enjoy her sexuality without regret or penitence. Rivera's
affairs with other women had bothered her. However, she also pursued
··h Wit men as we II as women wo
sexua II·raisons
Frida had been known as a close friend of homosexuals,
the worst-feared
the object of
stigma during the first half of the twentieth century.
Perhaps due to the upheaval caused by the Revolution, homosexuals
began
moving more into the attention of society. Previously they had been accepted
only in the realm of 'romantic
homosexual
community
radicalism.'
Frida became a symbol for the
due to her public views on sex. Three of the most
prominent poets in Mexico wrote poems to her and discussed their
attachment to her. They were Salvador Novo, Xavier Villaurrutia, and
Carlos Pellicer. According to author Hayden Herrera, gay artists and poets
were the first to acknowledge
Frida's uniqueness. The most free-spoken
of
the poets was Salvador Novo. He was also a personal and political enemy of
Rivera. Novo spoke of Frida as "a rocket, as grenade, as shattered glass, as
tidings, as a telegraph in blood." In comparison Pellicer wrote: "You, like a
200
Lowe: 22.
77
trampled garden on a skyless night. You, like a storm-beaten window; you,
like a blood-soaked
handkerchief;
you, like a butterfly full of tears; like a
prematurely broken day; like a tear on a sea of tears; singing and victorious
araucaria: a bean oflight for everybody.
,,201
Pellicer's phrase "you, like a storm-beaten window .... " Herrera
claims summarizes Frida's life, with numerous operations, constant torture,
and the contrast between her frail existence and her strong being. Although
Frida largely painted self-portraits she relied heavily upon her friendships as
a means of alleviating pain. Thus, to Frida friendships were irreplaceable.
Friends offered strength and caring. Her home in Coyoacan was a constant
gathering for visitors, friends, and disciples. Frida hid her suffering and
greeted her guests with a great deal of compassion and warmth. By
concerning herself in her friends well being she was able to distance herself
. 202
firom her own pam.
Frida's assorted sexual relationships, with both male and female
lovers, symbolized more than a mere physical attraction. Her liaisons were
attempts at developing friendships. Constantly and almost insanely in love
with Diego Rivera, Frida regarded all her other relationships
as fleeting
fancies that roused her hunger to live and love as well as to be loved. With
Frida's fascination with personalities who are famous and beautiful it is no
201
Quoted in Billeter. The World of Frida Kahlo: 189.
78
su rp rise th a t tw o o f h e r n o ta b le le sb ia n ro m a n c e s w e re w ith tw o o f th e
c e le b ra te d
m y th ic a l fig u re s o f M e x ic a n
F e lix . T h e se w o m e n 's
p e rso n a lity
"p e rfe c t
c in e m a : D o lo re s d e l R io a n d M a ria
c o m b in a tio n
a n d a ttire " 2 0 3a ttra c te d
o f fe a tu re s a n d d e m e a n o r,
th e m to F rid a .
F rid a c la im e d th a t h e r in d u c tio n
w ith h o m o se x u a l
se x w a s b y b e in g
se d u c e d b y a sc h o o l te a c h e r w h ile in h e r la st y e a r a t th e N a tio n a l
P re p a ra to ry
S c h o o l. T h e e v e n t tu rn e d in to a sc a n d a l w h e n h e r p a re n ts fo u n d o u t
sh e e n te re d R iv e ra 's
w e re c o m m o n
n o n c o n fo rm ist
a n d a c c e p te d ,
th is e n v iro n m e n t
F rid a , th e re fo re ,
F rid a 's
casa chica
to R iv e ra 's
204
A fte r
w o rld , w h e re b ise x u a l a ffa irs
le sb ia n lia iso n s. In
w h ile w o m e n h a d e a c h o th e r.
fe lt n o sh a m e a b o u t h e r se x u a lity 2 0 5 H e r n u m e ro u s
w e re p a rtly in re sp o n se
sh e w a s a w o m a n
b o h e m ia n
sh e e n te re d in to o c c a sio n a l
m e n h a d th e ir
of
c o n sta n t p h ila n d e rin g ,
a ffa irs
a n d p a rtly b e c a u se
"w h o lo v e d to o m u c h .,,2 0 6 R iv e ra , h o w e v e r, a c c e p te d
le sb ia n a ffa irs, m o st lik e ly b e c a u se h e d id n o t fe e l th re a te n e d
w ith
th e m a s h e d id w ith h e r a ffa irs w ith m e n . In fa c t, R iv e ra a c tu a lly e n c o u ra g e d
F rid a 's
h o m o se x u a l
o 'K e e ffe
a ffa irs. R iv e ra jo k e d a b o u t F rid a flirtin g w ith G e o rg ia
in fro n t o f G e o rg e S tie g litz . S o m e sa y R iv e ra e n c o u ra g e d
th e se
lia iso n s b e c a u se h e k n e w th a t a s a n o ld e r m a n h e c o u ld n o t, o r d id n o t w a n t
202
Ib id .: 1 8 9 .
203
Ib id .: 1 8 8 -1 8 9 .
204
H e rre ra , Frida: 4 3 .
20'
Ib id .: 1 9 7 -8 .
206
B e rg m a n -C a rto n . Art in America: 36.
79
to , s a tis fy h is m u c h y o u n g e r w ife . O th e rs s a y h e w a n te d to k e e p h e r
o c c u p ie d s o th a t h e c o u ld b e fre e .
207
J e a n v a n H e ije n o o rt, a frie n d o f D ie g o
a n d F rid a , s p e c u la te s th a t " h e c o n s id e re d F rid a 's le s b ia n a ffa irs a s o rt o f
s a fe ty v a lv e " H e a d d s :
F rid a d id n o t te ll m e if D ie g o fu lfille d h e r s e x u a lly . S h e ta lk e d
a b o u t th e ir re la tio n s h ip , b u t n o t a b o u t th a t. B u t th e re is n o
q u e s tio n th a t s h e h a d v e ry s tro n g s e x u a l n e e d s . O n c e s h e to ld
m e th a t h e r v ie w o f life a s 'M a k e lo v e , ta k e a b a th , m a k e lo v e
int
a g a in
. Ittwwaass in h e r n a tu re . 2 0 8
F rie n d s o f F rid a a ls o ta lk e d a b o u t h e r b is e x u a lity : " F rid a h a d m a n y g irl
frie n d s a n d le s b ia n frie n d s . H e r le s b ia n is m d id n o t m a k e h e r m a s c u lin e . S h e
w a s a k in d o f e p h e b e , b o y is h a n d e m p h a tic a lly fe m in in e a t th e s a m e
tiirn e .
,,209
N e a r th e e n d o f h e r life F rid a re m a in e d in th e c o m p a n y o f w o m e n
m o re a n d m o re , h e r m o s t in te n s e frie n d s h ip s w e re w ith w o m e n . It is to
film m a k e r, P a u l L e d u c 's c re d it, th a t " h e d id n o t e v a d e th e is s u e o f F rid a 's
le s b ia n is m , d e p ic tin g w ith b o th p a s s io n a n d h u m o r th e lo v e th a t d e v e lo p e d
b e tw e e n F rid a a n d h e r n u rs e to w a rd th e e n d o f F rid a 's life .,,2 lo B is e x u a l
207
H e rre ra .
Frida.,
1 9 8 -9 .; A ls o s e e : R o b in s o n , R o x a n a .
Georgia
a 'Keeffe.
N ew
Y o rk : H a rp e r P e re n n ia l, 1 9 8 9 : 5 1 0 .
208
Ib id .: 1 9 9 .
209
Ib id .: 1 9 8 .
210
B e h a r: 1 0 4 6 .
80
d u rin g m u ch o f h er life an d a lesb ian in h er last y ears, F rid a w as u n faith fu l
to h er h u sb an d w ith th e sam e freq u en cy
F rid a's
lesb ian ism
h e ev id en tly w as to h er.
211
ap p ears in h er p ain tin g s as w ell. H o w ev er,
u n lik e
th e rest o f h er in tim ate life h er sex u al m o res are m o re su b tly p o rtray ed .
g en erally b eliev ed th at th e tw o w o m en w h o ap p ear in
(1 9 3 9 ), an d earlier in
F rid a an d a w o m an
What the Water Gave Me
sh e 1 0 v ed .
212
It is
Two Nudes in a Forest
(1 9 3 8 ) are rem in iscen t
of
S h e h as arran g ed th e tw o fig u res in a
settin g th at is o u tsid e th e d o m ain o f tim e, sp ace, an d cu sto m . T h ey ap p ear
n ex t to a su ccu len t ju n g le w h ere a sp id er m o n k ey w atch es o v er th em . T h e
m o n k ey , a sy m b o l o f lu st, co ils h is tail in th e sam e fash io n as th e tw istin g
b ran ch es.
O n th e o th er sid e o f th e co u p le ro o ts p ro tru d e fro m th e g ro u n d .
S u rro u n d ed
b y th is h o stile to p o g rap h y
O n e o f th e w o m en
is su g g estiv e
th e w o m en stay clo se to o n e an o th er.
o f a g u ard ian fig u re. A s an In d ian M ad o n n a
sh e w ears a red sh aw l. T h is p ain tin g b elo n g s to th e actress D o lo res
w h o states th at "th e in d ig en o u s
d el R io ,
n u d e is so lacin g th e w h ite n u d e. T h e d ark
o n e is stro n g er.,,2 1 3 T h e red sh aw l d rip s b lo o d th at falls to th e earth . T h is
sy m b o lizes
th e su fferin g o f th e w o m an o r o f h er p eo p le.
B o th h o m o sex u al
asserted
an d h etero sex u al,
F rid a's
itself in a d istin ct sty le th at illu m in ates
stro n g sex u al d esire
fro m all h er p ain tin g s.
It
Z am o ra: 8 .
H errera. Frida: 1 9 8 .; H errera, H ay d en . Frida Kahlo: The Paintings. N ew Y o rk :
H arp er C o llin s P u b lish ers, 1 9 9 1 : 1 2 7 .
211
212
81
s a tu ra te s
p a in tin g s
th e m o re o rg a n ic o f h e r s tilllife s ,
such as
Flower of Life
h a v e n o te d th a t F rid a 's
s tro n g s u g g e s tio n
in p a in tin g s .
Wound,
's e lf-re g a rd .'
e ro tic is m
o f s e lf-g lo rify in g
s e lf-im a g e s ,
a m e ta p h o r
a u to -e ro tic is m
th a t, fo llo w in g
It is
th ro u g h
such as
(1 9 4 7 ). F rie n d s
in h e r d is p la y o f h e r s c a rs
Remembrance oj an Open
th a t e x h ib it h e r w o u n d s .t'"
w h ile a d m ittin g ,
fo r c a s tra tio n ,
The Two Fridas
In d e e d
s u b je c t o f
m o s t fe rv e n t lo v e a ffa ir w a s w ith h e rs e lf. T h e re is a
a s w e ll a s in la te r s e lf-p o rtra its
w h ic h b e c o m e s
Sun and Life
(1 9 4 4 ). a n d
T h is is s e e n in p a in tin g s
F rid a 's
a n d is th e p re d o m in a te
e v e n b o a s tin g
th e 'w o u n d '
s e e m in s p ire d b y w h a t is te rm e d
a n d o th e r p a in tin g s
in d ic a te a n a u to -
F re u d , m ig h t lin k to h e r h o m o s e x u a lity .
th is p o rtra y a l
ofherselfJor herself
th a t s h e is
a b le to b e g in to re -m a p th e fe m a le b o d y w ith in re p re s e n ta tio n :
T he body becom es
T h is d is c o u rs e
a b e a re r o f s ig n s , s o m e le g ib le , s o m e e s o te ric ...
o f th e b o d y is its e lf in s c rib e d w ith in a k in d o f c o d e x
o f n a tu re a n d c o s m o s , in w h ic h s u n a n d m o o n , p la n t a n d a n im a l, a re
p ic to g ra m s .
A t th e s a m e tim e th is p ic to g ra p h ic
t he Im a g e ry .
215
.
It is
c u ltiz e d
no w onder
F rid a . H e r re fu s a l to c o n fo rm
in h e r p a in tin g s
re v e a le d
c o m m u n ity
h a s p ra c tic a lly
to s e x u a l n o rm s w a s w e ll p u b lic iz e d
a s w e ll a s b y h e r frie n d s a n d p e o p le w h o k n e w h e r. S h e
th e s tre n g th b e h in d th e b o n d th a t tw o lo v e rs o f th e s a m e s e x c a n
s h a re a n d c o m p a re d
213
th a t th e h o m o s e x u a l
e ffe c t d e -e ro tic iz e s
it to th e p a in s h e fe lt fro m h e r h e te ro s e x u a l
re la tio n s h ip
Ib id .: 1 9 8 -9 .
214
Ib id .: 1 9 9 .
215
N e w m a n : 1 6 8 -9 .
82
w ith
h e r p h ila n d e rin g
h a s ta k e n
p o r F rid a "
th o s e
.
F r i d a 's
husband.
im a g e
tim e s th e h o m o s e x u a l
to b e o n e o f th e ir o w n . T h is w a s s e e n
p la y a t th e M e x ic a n
a u d itio n in g
In re c e n t
fo r p a rts
M useum
in S a n F ra n c is c o
in th e p la y w e re
'F r i d i t a s '
w hen
c o m m u n ity
a t th e " P a s io n
m any
of
o r c ro s s -d re s s in g
216
a rtis ts .
216
T u lly : 1 2 6 -3 3 .
83
IC O N O F W O M A N H O O D
T h e g re a te s t
w o m e n 's
m ovem ent
re s p o n s ib le
c o n trib u tio n
a n d fe m in is t
fo r b rin g in g
w e re to w rite fe m a le
to th e F rid a K a h lo
fe m a le
w rite rs
fro m th e
o f th e 1 9 7 0 s . T h e s e w rite rs w e re
a rtis ts in to th e a rt h is to ry b o o k s . T h e ir g o a ls
a rtis ts in to a rt h is to ry , w h e re th e y h a d p re v io u s ly
ig n o re d ,
a n d to id e n tify th o s e c h a ra c te ris tic s
illu s tra te
a " fe m a le
Im a g e ry
c u lt e n a c te d
in th e a rt o f w o m e n
been
th a t c o u ld
s e n s i b i l i t y .,,2 1 7
i n F r i d a 's
w o rk o f c h ild b irth ,
a s s y m b o liz in g
m is c a rria g e ,
o f d o m e s tic
life w e re v ie w e d
th e fe m a le
a rt re fle c te d
a d e e p l y .p e r & Q n a L v j e \ \ i .o f a w .o m a n .
A u th o rs
s h e w a s th e firs t a rtis t to d e p a rt fro m th e m a le p rin c ip le
a n d th e v io le n c e
e x p e rie n c e .
F r i d a 's
h a v e s ta te d th a t
o f a rt a n d c re a te h e r
2 1 7G a r b e r , E l i z a b e t h . " A r t C r i t i c s o n F r i d a K a h l o : A C o m p a r i s o n o f F e m i n i s t a n d N o n F e m in is t V o ic e s "
Arts Education. V 4 5 n 2 , M a r c h 1 , 1 9 9 2 : 4 3 .
84
own iconography.i"
Regarding
Frida's art Rivera stated: "Frida is the only
example in the history of art of an artist who tore open her chest and heart to
reveal the biological truth of her feelings.,,219 Representation
based experiences
was important to the women's
match the transformation
women's
of women's
movement in order to
lives, from personal to political. The
movement was caught up in conscious-raising
personal experiences,
awareness of
which eventually coined the phrase "the personal is
political.,,22o By placing women's
began to understand
of gender-
experiences
these experiences
in a political context women
in comparison to the patriarchal
structures of their society. In addition to this, female artists began depicting
the female body in a mode of substantiating
course, led to the introduction
of women's
their experiences.
representations
This, of
of the female
body in art, which in turn led to the concept of a universal language of
womanhood.
"On its most problematic
biological essences or characteristics
level this implied that certain
were inherent to
all women,
thus
Billeter. The World of Frida Kahlo: 10.; Valensquez, Kenia. "Frida Kahlo-W hy this
M exican Painter is one of the Hottest Tickets in the Art W orld" Twin Plant. V91nl,
August I, 1993: 41; Valensquez stated "her paintings have been described as some of
the most disturbing, passionate, exotic and powerful in the world. In the past few years,
Frida Kahlo's name has become synonymous with feminism, enigmatic art and survival
of the human spirit."; Behar. American Hispanic Review.: 1045.
219 Rivera, Diego. "Frida Kahlo and M exican Art." Catalogue of the Frida Kahlo
Museum. Editions M iguel Galas SA M exico, 1970: 10.
220 For a discussion of Kahlo and the term "the personal is political", see: M otianM eadows, M ary. Frida Kahlo: The Personal and Political. M A Thesis. Fullerton:
California State University, 1982.
218
85
ig n o rin g
so c ia l, ra c ia l, a n d e n v iro n m e n ta l
w o m e n 's
m o v e m e n t th e te rm "u n iv e rsa l"
"o p p re sse d
w om an"
m a le .,,2 2 2 F rid a 's
a s o p p o se d
d iffe re n c e s.
,,2 2 1
In th e se n se o f th e
re fe rre d to a u n iv e rsa l
im a g e o f
to th e im a g e o f "w h ite m id d le c la ss
im a g e s h a v e b e e n c o n c e iv e d
situ a tio n s, th a t w o m e n sim ila rly e n c o u n te r.
u n iv e rsa l fo rm b y fe m in ist h isto ria n s
o f a s re p re se n tin g
b io lo g ic a l
T h u s, F rid a w a s p la c e d in th is
w h o e m p h a siz e d
h e r p e rso n a l
b iio g ra p h y. 2 2 3
U n lik e art p a in te d b y m e n , F rid a 's
sta re . In ste a d , h e r n u d e s a re a "c o n sta n t
v a lu e s o f th e d o m in a n t id e o lo g y ,"
n u d e s d o n o t a llo w a v o y e u ristic
c h a lle n g e ,
irre v e re n t to w a rd th e
in w h ic h "h e r v isio n o f life a n d d e a th [is
fille d ] w ith b lo o d ,,2 2 4 In th e a rt w o rld , a s w e ll a s in so c ie ty , th e re is a n
u n sp o k e n
C o n sid e re d
ta b o o a g a in st p o rtra y in g fe m a le b lo o d e sp e c ia lly m e n stru a l
a c u rse o f m e n se s, b lo o d sig n ifie s "filth a n d p o llu tio n ,
d e file m e n t.a n d
p a in tin g s
b lo o d .
d e g ra d a tio n .v '"
a re n o n -tra d itio n a l
B e c a u se F rid a d isre g a rd s
a n d e v e n sh o c k in g .
O p p o sin g
th e se ta b o o s, h e r
d e p ic tio n s
o f th e
2 2 1M e ln y c h u k , S u e . Confirming claims and investigating identities: Frida Kahlo and
American feminism in the late 1970s. M A T h e sis. C a n a d a : U n iv e rsity o f B ritish
C o lu m b ia , 1 9 9 2 : 1 9 .; A lso se e : F re n c h , Jo a n n a a n d C a ssa n d ra L a g e r, a n d A rle n e
Raven. Feminist Art Criticism. Ann A rb o r: U M ! R e se a rc h P re ss, 1 9 8 8 : 8 9 ; G o u m a P e te rso n , T h a lia a n d P a tric ia M a tth e w s 'T h e F e m in ist C ritiq u e o f Art H isto ry " Art
Bulletin. V o l.L X IX , n o .3 , 1 9 8 7 : 3 4 8 -5 1 .
2 2 2M e ln y c h u k .: 2 0 ; re fe rs to th e u n d e rsta n d in g o f K a h lo 's im a g e s a s u n iv e rsa l b e in g re re p re se n te d in a c o d e th a t w a s sp e c ific a lly fo rm u la te d to m e e t th e c o n c e rn s o f w o m e n in
th e U n ite d S ta te s ra th e r th a n w o m e n o n a n in te m a tio n a lle v e l.
2 2 3 N u m e ro u s a u th o rs h a v e d e sc rib e d K a h lo 's w o rk a s u n iv e rsa l: M e ln y c h u k .; F ra z ie r:
51.
2 2 4B a k e w e ll: 1 7 4 .
86
disfigured
m ale, w here blood and guts are a sign of sacrifice, as seen in the
blood of C hrist and the' guts' of the w ar hero, the m utilated fem ale
sym bolizes com plete violation and, therefore, indicates a rupture in the
social order. T his has been said to be exactly w hat Frida's nudes endeavor to
signify. T hey challenge
contradictions
and m ake know n the long-standing
w here m en's blood is sacred, as in the blood of C hrist or
gallant as in the blood of the w ar victim . W om en's
is perceived
Frida's
blood, on the other hand
as irreverent and evidence of a violation. Fem inist w riters saw
exposure
of her blood is a sym bol of liberation. T hey saw in her
paintings an opportunity
for the "long-suffering
out of her culturally constructed
expression
sexual
M exican w om an to com e
silence and express herself and, in the
of herself, gain subject status.
,,2 2 6
Several of her w orks evoke early C hristian m artyrology, m any of
w hich she places herself in appearance
portrays herself surrounded
of a lay saint or goddess.
She
by her attributes, how ever, rather than w earing a
crow n of thorns she w ears a necklace of thorns
227
Frida often w ent to
church not for religious purposes, but to visit "the sadistic C hrist." T his w as
representations
of the suffering C hrist depicted in the delight of the gory
225
L ow e' 85 . O renstein' 7
226
B ake~ell:" 174.
227
The Art of Frida Kahla. A delaide: 8.
..
87
e x tre m ity
o f h i s w o u n d s .r "
b a se , a re c o m m o n
e m o tio n a l
o f s u ffe rin g ,
in L a tin A m e ric a n
re sp o n se
fro m
In h e r p a in tin g s ,
M e x ic a n
Scenes
e s p e c ia lly
o n a re lig io u s
a rt w h e re th e a rtis t w a n ts to e v o k e a n
th e ir v ie w e r.
F rid a d o e s n o t q u e s tio n
th e a s s u m p tio n
th a t th e
e a rth is fe m a le ,
b u t h e r e a rth -w o m a n
p re su p p o se d
is o n e w h o s e
v irg in ity ,
o r th e d e n ia l o f h e r s e x u a lity
..
id e n tity re s ts n o t o n a
th e re p u d ia tio n
th ro u g h
o f s o m e v io la to rs ,
th e v e n e ra tio n
of her
229
p a s s iv ity .
In h e r p a in tin g s
w om an,
F rid a c o n v e rts
b y c o n c e n tra tin g
F rid a " g ra n ts
s u b je c t
In d ia n -m o th e r,
F r i d a 's
th e u n iv e rs a l
s ta tu s n o t o n ly to th e p re c o n c e iv e d
p a in tin g s
w om an
A Few Small Nips.
re ta b lo
s ty le th a t R iv e ra
b le n d in g
s u g g e s te d
R ic h m o n d : 1 7 .
229
B a k e w e ll:
d e p ic tin g
of her as
e p is o d e s
or
s y m b o lic
e v e n t,
a n im a g e o f d iv in e in te rv e n tio n
a s ic k n e s s
in
and
a re d o n e in th e e x -v o to
p o rtra y s a s u p e rn a tu ra l
re c o v e ry fro m
and
a n d m e s t i z o .,,2 3 o
K a h lo u s e fo r its a p p a re n t
s ty le c o m m o n ly
th e m ira c u lo u s
228
e a rth -m o th e r
Henry Ford Hospital. My Birth,
T h e s e p a in tin g s
fa c t a n d fa n ta s y , d e p ic tin g
m e m o ria liz e
m e s tiz a
to th e s e rie s s h e p a in te d
th e p a in tin g s
o th e rs
th e M e x ic a n
In th is m a n n e r
th a t m o s t a p tly a p p ly to th e fe m in is t v ie w
b e lo n g
am ong
T h e e x -v o to
e a r t h i n t o a l i v i n g , 's e x u a l i z e d '
o n h e r o w n p h y s ic a l e x p e rie n c e s .
b u t to h e r c h ild re n ,
h e r life . T h is in c lu d e s
p u rp o se s.
th e in a c tiv e
o r a n a c c id e n t.
to
An
ex-
178.
88
voto portrays two demonstrations
documented
with journalistic
of reality: the earthly - an incident
authenticity;
and the divine - in the form of a
patron saint shown floating above the victim.
231
Typical of ex-voto paintings
is a space at the bottom of the painting where a description of the event is
.
232
wntten.
In the painting,
Frida's
Henry Ford Hospital, Frida depicts a miscarriage.f"
image appears in a pool of blood, the white sheet contrasting the
death of the fetus and a womb swollen with a pregnancy that no longer
exists. Floating objects appear, including an orchid and a small fetus that
resembles Diego Rivera, "all symbols of a truncated motherhood."234 M any
authors have commented
on the fact that Frida desired to bear a child by
Rivera. As an adolescent
she bragged to her friends that she would someday
have his child. In the context of M exican social codes where having children
and being a mother are essential aspects of femininity and define
womanhood,
Frida's
despair of being barren is understood
more aptly.235 In
an interview Frida stated: "W e couldn't have a child, and I cried
230Ibid.: 178.
Lowe:45-7.
Breslow. Armericas: 35.
233 Lowe: 67; Lowe states that Kahlo depicted the "bewildering emotions and sensations
of her month-long ordeal of miscarriage" in this painting.
234 Agosin, M argorie. Women a/Smoke. Translated by Janice M olloy. New Jersey: The
Red Sea Press, 1989: 82.
235Lowe: 65.
231
232
89
inconsolably.C ''"
To m ake up for her inability to bare children Frida threw
herself into her art and her friendships.
Hospital
R egarding
the painting Henry Ford
Frida said: "M y painting carries w ithin it the m essage of pain. I lost
three children..
paintings
substitute for all this. I believe w ork is the best
thimg. ,,237
Frida's
second painting depicting
a m iscarriage
is My Birth. In this
painting Frida appears giving birth to herself, but w hat is born is a dead
infant, w hich is actually the adult head of Frida herself. Thus, the picture
show s Frida's
view of her ow n birth w hile pointing out the m iscarriage
she
recently suffered. A t the sam e tim e Frida also refers to the death of her
m other by covering the head of the m other in the painting
238
A lthough
it is
painted in the ex-vote style and Frida paints a section for the w ritten
explanation
guardian
of the event she leaves this space blank. A lso rather than a
overseeing
the event Frida places a picture of the M other of
Sorrow s on the w all above the head board of the bed. Frida stated that "the
M adonna
w as included not for religious reasons, but as a 'm em ory
im age,'
because a sim ilar retablo w as present w hen she w as born.,,239 The im age of
the V irgin is not the typical one, instead Frida displays the V irgin w ith
daggers piercing her neck. This use of iconography
236
237
238
refers to a M exican
Zam ora.,: 40.
D rucker: 69.
K ettenm annn: 38.
90
tradition of depicting the V irgin w ithout Christ, w hich is to w arn believers to
.
. , or at t h e h our
"guar d against
sorrow , or pam
0f
d eat.h
,,240
C oncernm. g t hiIS
painting Rivera stated: "A birth that produced the only w om an able to
present in her art the feelings, responsibilities,
and creative possibilities
. h unsurpassa bl e p hY SlCa
. 1 com m itm
. ent.
w om en W It
The painting
of
,,241
A Few Small Nips, portrays the gruesom e depiction of a
m urder, in w hich Frida likew ise represents her em otions m utilated by her
husband's
affair w ith her sister. The horrific realism of the piece reflects
M exican artists fascination
w ith exaggerated
adopting this style of expression
M exican
artist Jose G uadalupe
m urders and accidents
242
depictions of blood. In
Frida reflects upon the popular w ork of
Posada, w ho depicted scenes of grim
In addition to Posada's
reproduction
Frida w as
w ell aw are of portrayals of Christ by M exican sculptors w ho explicitly
rendered the w ounds of Christ intensely and precisely in very realistic detail
and color.
243
For Frida the m ark of blood is w om an's
m ark. She often
depicted w om en pierced w ith gash w ounds, bleeding after an abortion or
childbirth,
239
240
dropping blood from a vein connected to her heart, or punctured
Low e.: 47.
Ibid.: 47.
V on W aberer, K eto. Introduction by, Frida Kahlo: Masterpieces. N ew Y ork &
London: W .W . N orton, 1994: n.p.
242 Low e: 85; Billeter, The World of Frida Kahlo: 20.
243 H ughes, Robert. "O nw ard From O lm ec" Time. O ctober 15, 1990: 81.
241
91
w ith arrow s
244
Frida's
depiction of the fem ale nude, the victim , is in
defiance w ith typical scenes of nudes. "The gritty reality of the scene, utterly
lacking in any erotic overtones, underm ines
body in art. ,,245 Furtherm ore,
w om an's
the conventional
presentation
of
this painting serves as a rem inder of
the explicit reality of daily violence in w om en's
lives.
Fem inist w riters w ere m ost obviously concerned w ith exploring and
re-defining
the previously know n w ays of view ing w ork done bya w om an.
They follow ed
a philosophical
inspiration w ith distinct fem inist concerns
that grew from the 1970s fem inist m ovem ent.i'" O ne of the predom inant
goals w as to acquire an effective fem inist artistic m ethod that could be
applied tow ard social change. This encouraged
representation
as political.
247
Fem inist art historians challenged
the universality
rem em bers
M useum
m any to view the issues of
assum ptions
of history, ability and
of art. A rlene R aven, a fem inist historian and critic,
the protests w om en held due to their exclusions
from the
of M odern A rt and the W hitney M useum . A dditionally,
established
shared w orkspaces
244
Low e: 85.
245
Ibid.: 86.
246
M elnychuk: 3.
they
and art collectives, as w ell as organizing
Ibid.: 3; French.: 87.; G oum a-Peterson.: 325-357.; R aven, A rlene ed. Crossing
Over: Feminism and Art a/Social Concern. Ann A rbor: U M I R esearch Press, 1988.;
Langer, Sandre. "Em erging Fem inist Art H istory" Art Criticism V ln2, W inter 1980:
247
66-83.
92
p u b lic a tio n s .i"
f e m in is t
o r m o v e m e n t,
th a t th e y w o u ld
d e n ie d
th r o u g h
w o u ld
n o w p ro d u c e
fio r
c o n tn v. e d
T o g e th e r
th e y b e lie v e d
b e a b le to a c c o m p lis h
h is to r y . T h e ir " c u ltu r e
a " p o s itiv e
w om en
F e m in is t
a s th e r e c o v e r y
v ie w e d
o f th e w o m e n
d o c u m e n tin g
a n d in te r p r e tin g
w a s n a tu r a lly
in c lu d e d
o f te a r s a n d y e a r s o f o p p r e s s io n "
th e u r g e n t a n d e s s e n tia l
250
F r id a 's
th e a r t c r e a te d
It w a s
s ig n if ic a n c e
c o u ld b e u n d e r s to o d .
o f v ie w ."
ta s k b e f o r e th e m
lo s t f r o m h is to r y . T h is m e a n t d is c o v e r in g ,
by w om en
th e f e m in is t w r ite r s
and becam e
f o r f e m in is ts
H e r p a in tin g s
a r tis ts . F r id a K a h lo
S in c e h e r d e a th in 1 9 5 4 , F r id a
th e n th r o u g h
1 9 7 0 s th a t h e r s to r y w a s 'r e - in tr o d u c e d '
S ta te s
th a t is
,,2 4 9
in th is r e n a is s a n c e .
h a d b e e n n e a r ly f o r g o tte n .
w h a t th e y h a d b e e n
c u ltu r e w h ic h w a s w o m e n - c e n te r e d ,
an d b y w om en.
h is to r ia n s
th a t it w a s o n ly a s a g r o u p ,
know n
o f th e
in th e U n ite d
w a s th e e a s e in w h ic h
s e e m e d to d e p ic t a d e f in ite
h e r im a g e s
" f e m a le
F r id a w a s s o v a s tly im p o r ta n t
to f e m in is ts
w r itin g
because
s h e w a s s e e n a s a tr u e e x a m p le
of a w om an
w h o h a d c r e a te d
s y m b o ls
to te ll h e r s to r y . T h is w a s e s p e c ia lly
w e r e th o s e th a t s p o k e o f s u b je c ts p r e v io u s ly
F r id a , th e r e f o r e ,
becam e
24'
I b id .: 3 ; R a v e n .: 5 .
249
I b id ' 4 ' R a v e n ' 5 - 6
250
I b id ::
4:
a n h is to r ic
im p o r ta n t
a b o u t a r t h is to r y
because
u n m e n tio n e d
p o in t
h e r s y m b o ls
in h is to r y .i"
id e n tity . H e r r e p r e s e n ta tio n s
o f f e m a le
O n e o f 'th e ~ a r lie s t a c c o u n ts o f K a h lo f r o m a f e m in is t p e r s p e c tiv e w a s
O r e n s te in 's a r tic le , 1 9 7 3 : 7 - 9 ; T e n y e a r s la te r H e r r e r a 's b io g r a p h y .
93
subjects w ere used to validate the claim s fem inists had been w anting to
m ake about fem ale representation.
Frida had originally been seen by the fem inist m ovem ent as a w om an
from a different culture. They saw M exican culture as being m ore
oppressive then their ow n, w ith its m ore obvious m achism oism .V '
D espite
the cultural barriers of the tim e, Frida's
art portrays a w om an w ho spoke out
and recorded her personal experiences.
Frida sought self-aw areness
her art during a tim e and place w hen society practically prohibited
from seriously follow ing
a career.
253
through
w om en
A s a result, she becam e a heroine
am ong fem inist artists in the U nited States in the late 1970s. For fem inists
w riters, w ho desired to re-w rite art history, Frida sym bolized the discovery
of a 'natural'
fem inist, one w ho rem arkably validated the fem inist politics
.
h
t hat w ere so Im portant at t e m om ent.
254
Fem inist historians of the 1970s w ere celebrating
This politic recognized
"R einterpreting
251
and strengthened
a 'politic oflife.'
liberalism as an absolute belief.
Frida as perform ing this liberal politic w as a source of
G oldm an, Shifra M . "Six W om en A rtists of M exico" Women's Art Journal V 3n2,
Fall 1982IW inter 1983: 2.
252Ibid:2.
253
254
H errera. "Frida K ahlo: H er Life. H er A rt" Art Forum: 39.
M elnychuk: 27.
.
94
in sp ira tio n
a n d re lie f fo r w o m e n .
S h e re p re se n te d
a p o te n tia l sa v io r w h o
c o n nc:rrn e d se If a n d so c ie. ty . ,,2 5 5
In th e la te 1 9 3 0 s F rid a w a s n a m e d a S u rre a list b y A n d re B re to n . T h is
c la ssific a tio n
fe m in ism
fo llo w e d
su rre a lism
h e r in to th e w ritin g s o f fe m in ist h isto ria n s.
h a v e little in c o m m o n .
K a h lo th a t th e y c ro sS .
256
fe m m e -e n fa n t,
m a n 's
m e d ia to r
It is o n ly in th e c o n te x t o f F rid a
It is iro n ic th a t F rid a fu n c tio n s
th e su rre a list a n d fe m in ist m o v e m e n ts.
e m b o d im e n t
a s a sy m b o l fo r b o th
"In su rre a lism , w o m a n is m u se ,
o f a m o u r fo u , o b je c t o f d e sire , a n d u ltim a te ly
w ith th e u n c o n sc io u s.,,2 5 7 S u rre a lism 's
fa sc in a tio n
d a rk e r sid e o f th e h u m a n p sy c h e re sid e d w e ll w ith so m e o f F rid a 's
p a in fu l im a g e s.i" F e m in ists,
h e rse lf w ith th e "c o stu m in g
c o n v e rse ly
p e rc e iv e d
a n d re -d e fin in g
so c ie ty , se x u a lity , c o n fo rm ity ,
F rid a 's
b e c h a lle n g e d
255
o n F rid a 's
w ith th e
m o st
re c re a tio n
of
o f h e r b o d y a s a re je c tio n
of
ro le s a n d ru le s." 2 5 9
T h e re w a s o n e a sp e c t in w h ic h b o th su rre a lists a n d fe m in ists
T h a t w a s in fo c u sin g
A lb e it,
a g re e d .
e ffo rts to e x p re ss h o w so c ia l c o n tro ls c o u ld
o r d e fie d . F e m in ists
sa w F rid a 's
re -c re a tin g
h e rse lf a s a m e a n s
Ib id .: 2 7 .
256
Ib id .: 3 0 .
251
Ib id .: 3 1 ; F o r fu rth e r d isc u ssio n M e ln y c h u k re fe rs to : R a a b e rg , G w e n . "T h e
P ro b le m a tic s
o f W o m e n a n d S u rre a lism " in
Surrealism and Women. E d . M a ry Ann
C a w s, e t a l. C a m b rid g e : M IT P re ss, 1 9 9 1 : 2 .
z ss B re slo w .: 3 6 .
259
M e ln y c h u k : 3 1 -3 2 .
95
o f re la tin g to th e "p h y sic a l
a n d h isto ric a l
c irc u m sta n c e s
th a t sh e e x p e rie n c e d
as a woman. ,,260
P o sitio n in g
fe m in ists
b e c a u se
F rid a in th e su rre a list c a n o n w a s e sse n tia l fo r th e
it a id e d th e ir c la im s o f F rid a 's
w e re n o t in te re ste d
in M e x ic a n
F rid a a n d th e su rre a list
re p re se n ta tio n
w e re in te re ste d
th is re -fa sh io n in g
m o d e rn ist
in F rid a 's
T h ro u g h
a rtistic tra d itio n s.
o f th e b o d y th ro u g h
th e su rre a lists
o f a rt a c c o rd in g
a n d sp e c ific a lly
p o litic a l d e sire s.
re te llin g o f F rid a 's
Sassy
260
261
in listin g s o ffe m in ist
The GreatMom Swap F rid a 's
o f in flu e n tia l
w om en.
It w a s
th e
c la im e d w ith F rid a in o rd e r to re v ise th e h isto ry
th e fe m in ist m o v e m e n ts
o f o th e r fa m o u s w o m e n
M o re sp e c ific a lly , th e y
T h u s, it b e c a m e e sse n tia l to u n d e rsta n d
in te re st in th e a rtist g re w in a n e w g e n e ra tio n
1 9 9 5 m o v ie
se lf-
w h ic h F rid a b e c a m e a sy m b o l o f
to th e fe m in ist m o v e m e n ts
im a g e h a s b e e n in c lu d e d
w ith w o m e n 's
c a p a b ility to p o rtra y h e rse lf a n d h e r b o d y .
se lf-re p re se n ta tio n .
re la tio n sh ip
T hey
h isto ry o r p o litic s, b u t in th e h isto ry b e tw e e n
m ovem ent
in th e m o d e rn ist
se lf-re p re se n ta tio n .
261
life sto ry a n
o f fe m in ists. F rid a 's
nam e and
h e ro in e s. F o r e x a m p le ,
in th e
p ic tu re is sh o w n a lo n g w ith th a t
o n a w a ll w h ic h is re fe rre d to a s c o n ta in in g
p ic tu re s
A u th o r H a y d e n H e rre ra n o te d th a t th e te e n m a g a z in e
h a s p la c e d F rid a in a list o f tw e n ty w o m e n
o f th is c e n tu ry fo r
Ib id .: 3 1 -3 2 .
Ib id .: 4 2 .
96
A m e ric a n
g irls to lo o k u p t0
262
M o st re c e n tly h e r n a m e w a s in c lu d e d
T -sh irt a lo n g w ith n a m e s su c h a s E le a n o r R o o se v e lt,
V irg in ia
h e ro in e
262
263
A m e lia E a rh a rt,
W o o lf a n d P rin c e ss D ia n a . T h is im a g e a p p e a re d
The New York Times Magazine
w o rsh ip
" in v e n tin g
on a
o n th e c o v e r o f
a n d w a s u se d to illu stra te a n a rtic le o n
a n id e n tity in th e a g e o f fe m a le ic o n s.
H e rre ra . New York Times. :41.
New York Times Magazine. N o v e m b e r
,,2 6 3
2 4 , 1 9 9 6 : se c tio n 6 .
97
IC O N O F C O M M E R C IA L IZ A T IO N
F rid a 's
im a g e h a s b e e n re p ro d u c e d
a sy m b o l o n its o w n . T h e re p ro d u c tio n
to in te rn a tio n a l
T ra d itio n a lly
U n ite d
M e x ic o a n d th e U n ite d S ta te s.
M e x ic a n
a n d L a tin A m e ric a n
sta n d a rd s
S ta te s lo o k e d to w a rd M e x ic o fo r in sp ira tio n
o f e x o tic a rt.
th e 1 9 3 0 s M e x ic a n
m u ra lists a c q u ire d
G ra n b u rn e d .
c o m m issio n s
h a d v ie w e d th e M e x ic a n
a s a n e x a m p le c o n stru c tiv e ly
N e lso n , R H .
a n d e v e n sa w M e x ic a n
c o m m o d ity .i'"
S ta te s. T h e U .S . g o v e rn m e n t
m ovem ent
a rt a s 'se c o n d
th e re h a v e b e e n se v e ra l p e rio d s d u rin g th is c e n tu ry w h e n th e
D u rin g
264
tim e s a n d h a s b e c o m e
o f h e r im a g e o w e s its c re a tio n in p a rt
it d id n o t fit in to th e E u ro p e a n
a rt a s a v a lu a b le
U n ite d
b e tw e e n
a rt c ritic s ju d g e d
c la ss' b e c a u se
H o w e v e r,
re la tio n s
n u m e ro u s
e m p lo y in g
in th e
m u ra list
a rtists d u rin g th e G re a t
Ethnic and Tourist Arts: Cultural Expressions From
the Fourth World. B e rk e le y , L o s A n g e le s, L o n d o n : U n iv e rsity o f C a lifo rn ia P re ss,
1 9 7 6 .: A lso se e : C o c k ro ft, E v a . " A b stra c t E x p re ssio n ism ,
W e a p o n o f th e C o ld W a r"
Artforum. V l2 n lO , Ju n e 1 9 7 4 .
98
D e p re s s io n .
N e ls o n
F o llo w in g
R o c k e fe lle r
th is e x a m p le
g a v e c o m m is s io n s
m a d e h e r firs t trip to th e U n ite d
c o m m is s io n s
in S a n F ra n c is c o ,
R o c k e fe lle r.
D u rin g
to M e x ic a n
s u c h a s E d s e l F o rd a n d
a rtis ts
265
F rid a K a h lo
S ta te s w h e n D ie g o R iv e ra w a s g iv e n
D e tro it, a n d N e w Y o rk , fro m b o th F o rd a n d
h is s e c o n d c o m m is s io n
F rid a w e re r e m a r r ie d .t'"
U n ite d
m a jo r c a p ita lis ts
T h e in flu e n c e d
in S a n F ra n c is c o ,
M e x ic a n
D ie g o a n d
a rtis ts g e n e ra te d
in th e
S ta te s is e v id e n t in th e fa c t th a t s ta rtin g in 1 9 3 5 , th e M u s e u m
M o d e rn
A rt b e g a n c o lle c tin g
g a lle rie s
b e g a n e x h ib itin g
L a tin A m e ric a n
a r tw o r k
w o rk b y L a tin A m e ric a n
of
F u rth e rm o re ,
267
a rtis ts .
It w a s
a rt
d u rin g th is
tim e th a t F rid a h a d h e r firs t e x h ib it in th e U n ite d S ta te s , a t N e w Y o rk 's
J u lie n L e v y G a lle ry fro m N o v e m b e r
G ro u p
e x h ib its
1 _ 1 5 ,1 9 3 8
o f L a tin A m e ric a n
1 9 4 0 s . T h e g o v e rn m e n t
becam e
265
C e n tu rie s
a rtis ts b e c a m e p o p u la r
in v o lv e d a s p a rt o f th e " G o o d
p o lic y . A lo n g w ith th e P a n -A m e ric a n
e x h ib it " T w e n ty
268
d u rin g th e
N e ig h b o r"
U n io n , P re s id e n t R o o s e v e lt
o f M e x ic a n
Art"
a t th e M u s e u m
h o s te d th e
of M odem
Art
in
G o ld m a n , S h ifra M . " R e w ritin g th e H is to ry o f M e x ic a n A rt: T h e P o lic ie s a n d
E c o n o m ic s
o f C o n te m p o ra ry
C u ltu re " in
Mexico: A Country in Crisis.
e d J e rry
L a d m a n . E I P a s o : U n iv e rs ity o f T e x a s P re s s , 1 9 8 6 : 9 7 -8 .
&
266
" M r.
267
"T he M odem
M rs . R iv e ra A g a in "
268
" B o m b B e rrib o n e d "
a n o th e r R iv e ra "
Vogue.
Time.
D ecem ber 15, 1940: 8.
N ovem ber
Art Digest.
A p ril 1 5 , 1 9 4 3 : 9 .
1 4 , 1 9 3 8 : 2 9 .; W o lfe , B e rtra m
D . " R is e o f
N o v e m b e r I, 1 9 3 8 : 6 4 .; P a c h , W a lte r. " F rid a R iv e ra : G ifte d
C a n v a s e s b y a n U n s e lfc o n s c io u s
L e v y , J u lie n .
Art Digest.
Im p le m e n ts G o o d N e ig h b o r P o lic y "
S u rre a lis t."
Memoir of an Art Gallery.
Art News.
V 37. N ovem ber
N e w Y o rk : G . P . P u tn a m 's
1 9 3 8 : 1 3 .;
S ons, 1977.
99
1940.
269
B esid es th is ex h ib it F rid a to o k p art in n u m ero u s
th e early 1 9 4 0 s. In clu d ed w ere th e ex h ib its "G o ld en
E x p o sitio n "
in S an F ran cisco ;
C o n tem p o rary
M u seu m
"M o d em
A rts in B o sto n ; "P o rtraits
o f M o d ern A rt; "M ex ican
o f A rt; an d "W o m en
G allery in N ew Y o rk .
o th er ex h ib its in
G ate In tern atio n al
M ex ican P ain ters"
o f th e T w en tieth
at th e In stitu te o f
C en tu ry "
A rt T o d ay " at th e P h ilad elp h ia
A rtists" at P eg g y G u g g en h eim 's
at th e
M u seu m
A rt o f T h is C en tu ry
270
N early tw en ty y ears later th e U n ited S tates fo u n d itself in th e
afterm ath
o f th e C u b an R ev o lu tio n ,
th e B ay o f P ig s, an d th e 1 9 6 2 m issile
crisis. In th is atm o sp h ere
o f C o ld W ar p o litics, L atin A m erican
n ew ro le in in tern atio n al
p o litics, o n e th at tried to rep air p ast in ju stices.
w as u n d er th is en v iro n m en t
ex h ib ited
"M aster
art to o k o n a
th at th e L o s A n g eles C o u n ty M u seu m
It
o f A rt
W o rk s o f M ex ican A rt." F rid a K ah lo , h av in g d ied n early
ten y ears earlier an d n early fo rg o tten
in th e U n ited S tates, w as n o t in clu d ed
in th is ex h ib it. M ex ico , h o w ev er, at th e sam e tim e w as b eg in n in g
cam p aig n
o f co m m ercializin g
O ly m p ics,
h eld in M ex ico C ity , Ju an O 'G o rm an
its o w n
its artists. T o co in cid e w ith th e 1 9 6 8
alo n g w ith th e O rg an izin g
"M ex ico 's A rt T h ro u g h T w en ty C en tu ries In stalled in M o d em M u seu m " A r t
Ju n e 1 , 1 9 4 0 : 1 5 ,3 4 .
2 7 0 G o ld m an , S h ifra M . C o n t e m p o r a r y
M e x ic a n P a in tin g in a T im e a /C h a n g e .
A u stin :
U n iv ersity o f T ex as P ress, 1 9 7 7 : 2 9 -3 5 .; G rafly , D o ro th y . "D eep ly N atio n al Art o f O ld
M ex ico P resen ted in P h ilad elp h ia" A r t D i g e s t . A p ril 1 5 , 1 9 4 3 : 8 .; L a t i n A m e r i c a n
S p i r i t : A r t a n d A r t i s t s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , 1 9 2 0 - 1 9 7 0 . N ew Y o rk : T h e B ro n x
M u seu m o f th e A rts in A sso ciatio n w ith H arry N . A b ram s, In c., P u b lish ers, 1 9 8 9 .
269
D ig e s t.
100
C o m m itte e
o f th e G a m e s o f th e X IX O ly m p ia d
th e F rid a K a h lo M u s e u m .
p u b lis h e d
a n e w c a ta lo g fo r
271
T h e 1 9 7 0 s s a w a lo n g w ith th e fe m in is t m o v e m e n t
In te rn a tio n a l
W o m e n 's
w ith e c o n o m ic
M e x ic o
C o n fe re n c e ,
e c o n o m ic
U n ite d
in te re s ts
p e rfo rm in g
e x h ib its
p ro d u c e d
S ta te s d u rin g
e x h ib its ,
th e ris e o f th e C h ic a n o
a n d p o litic a l is s u e s . T h e W o m e n 's
C ity , in s p ire d
a rts a n d c o u rs e s
c o in c id e d
re g a rd in g
m ovem ent
C o n fe re n c e ,
w om en
Mexico Today
1 9 7 8 . T h e s y m p o s iu m
T h e s y m p o s iu m
S ta te s a n d M e x ic o
o f M e x ic a n
th e
a n d th e F irs t
a rtis ts .
272
c o n s is te d
th e e x p o rt o f p e tro le u m
and
h e ld in th e
o f s e m in a rs ,
o n c o n te m p o ra ry
w ith n e g o tia tio n s
h e ld in
P o litic a l
S y m p o s iu m
a lo n g
M e x ic o .
b e tw e e n
film s ,
273
th e U n ite d
a n d n a tu ra l g a s . A s
c u ltu ra l e ffo rts to w a rd th e h o p e o f s itu a tin g M e x ic o
a s th e le a d e r o f th e
T h ird W o rld
a rra n g e d
n a tio n s , M e x ic a n
e x h ib it e n title d
S y m p o s iu m .
" T re a s u re s
E c o n o m ic
P re s id e n t
o f M e x ic o "
E c h e v e rria
to a c c o m p a n y
th e M e x ic o
T oday
in te re s ts in M e x ic o w e re tie d to th is e x h ib it in th e
fa c t th a t it w a s b ro u g h t to th e U n ite d S ta te s b y th e A rm a n d
271
fo r a to u rin g
The Frida Kahlo Museum.
C a ta lo g . M e x ic o C ity : O rg a n iz in g
H am m er
C o m m itte e o f th e
G a m e s o f th e X IX O ly m p ia d , 1 9 6 8 .
Women's Art Journal: I.
272
G o ld m a n . " S ix W o m e n A rtis ts in M e x ic o "
273
B a rta , R o g e r. " M e x ic o O fic io : T h e M is e rie s a n d S p le n d o rs o f C u ltu re " tra n s la te d
Third Text. n 1 4 , S p rin g
R e v is io n s " Art in America.
by C oco F usco.
V is io n s a n d
F a n ta s tic "
"Latin
V 7 6 n 5 , M a y 1 9 8 8 , d is c u s s e s " A rt o f th e
e x h ib it 1 9 2 0 -1 9 8 7 , In d ia n a p o lis M u s e u m o f A rt, 1 9 8 7 .; W a llis , B ria n .
" S e llin g N a tio n s "
" M e x ic o
1 9 9 1 : 7 · 1 5 .; G o ld m a n , S h ifra M .
Art in America
'T re a s u re s ':
V 7 9 n 9 , S e p te m b e r 1 9 9 1 : 8 5 -9 1 .; W ills o n , W illia m .
A P a n o ra m ic S o u th e rn E x p o s u re "
Los Angeles Times.
A ugust
101
F o u n d a tio n , a lo n g w ith th e c o o p e r a tio n o f th e S e c r e ta r y o f F o r e ig n A f f a ir s
f o r th e M e x ic a n g o v e r n m e n t, S a n tia g o R o e ! . F u r th e r m o r e , th e C E O f o r th e
O c c id e n ta l P e tr o le u m O il C o r p o r a tio n o w n e d th e o n ly tw o p r iv a te g a lle r ie s
w h e r e th e e x h ib it w a s s h o w n .i "
A d d itio n a l e x h ib its o f M e x ic a n a r t b o a s te d s e v e r a l s o lo e x h ib its o f
F r id a K a h lo s
w o r k . A to u r in g e x h ib it w a s a ls o o r g a n iz e d b y th e C h ic a g o
M u s e u m o f C o n te m p o r a r y A r t in J a n u a r y o f 1 9 7 8 . T h is e x h ib it tr a v e le d to
s ix U .S . m u s e u m s .i" A s m e n tio n e d in c h a p te r f iv e , th e G a le r ia d e la R a z a
d e d ic a te d a n e x h ib it to F r id a in h o n o r o f th e D a y o f th e D e a d c e le b r a tio n s .F "
T h e p r o m o tio n o f L a tin A m e r ic a n a r t d u r in g th e 1 9 7 0 s b e g a n to
s h o w its m a r k in th e a r t m a r k e ts . I n 1 9 7 7 , S o th e b y 's la u n c h e d a s a le o f L a tin
A m e r ic a n a r tw o r k . S a le s f r o m m a n y m a le a r tis ts , s u c h a s D ie g o R iv e r a ,
R u f in o T a m a y o , a n d F r a n c is c o T o le d o , e x c e e d e d th e ir e x p e c ta tio n s . F r id a
K a h lo s
w o r k e n te r e d th e m a r k e t in th e s p r in g o f 1 9 7 9 , a f te r th e to u r in g
e x h ib it. P r ic e s f o r h e r w o r k r o s e f r o m $ 4 0 ,0 0 0 to o v e r $ 1 m illio n . F o llo w in g
S o th b e y 's e x a m p le , C h r is tie 's e n te r e d in to th e L a tin A m e r ic a n m a r k e t in
1 3 , 1 9 7 8 .; la n c o - S ta r r e lls ,
J a c o b s , J o d y , " P r e v ie w
274
M e ln y c h u k :
J o s in e .
"Art
o f M e x ic o 's
N ew s"
T re a su re s"
Los Angeles Times. D e c e m b e r 2 , 1 9 7 9 .;
Los Angeles Times. A u g u s t 4 , 1 9 7 8 .
1 0 - I I . T h e tw o g a lle r ie s lis te d w e r e : K n o e d le r a n d H a m m e r G a lle r ie s in
N e w Y o rk .
275
H e rre ra .
Frida Kahlo.;
o f C a li f o m i a , S a n D ie g o :
U n iv e r s ity
of T exas
Art
T h e e x h ib it tr a v e le d to : M a n d e v ille A r t G a lle r y , U n iv e r s ity
M a y 1 7 ; P h o e n ix
Art
B la f f e r G a lle r y , U n iv e r s ity o f H o u s to n : O c to b e r
S ta te U n iv e r s ity
2 7 6 K a m in : 4 4 .
M u s e u m , A r iz o n a J u n e
M u s e u m a t A u s tin : A u g u s t
1 3 - 0 c to b e r
1 4 -N o v e m b e r
o f N e w Y o rk a t P u rc h a se : D e c e m b e r 8 -Ja n u a ry
9 - J u ly 2 3 ;
I ; S a r a h C a m p b e ll
1 9 ; N e u b e rg e r
M useum ,
4, 1979.
102
1982.
277
B y 1990 F rida K ahlo surpassed everyone's
of her paintings
expectations
w hen one
broke all records for a w ork of art by a L atin A m erican
artist
sold by S otheby's.
A uthor S hifra G oldm an
astounding
proliferation
points to the 1980s as a phenom enon
of L atin A m erican
art exhibits not seen in the
U nited S tates since the 1940s, a tim e w hen the U .S . governm ent
support from allies am ong L atin A m erican
pursued
by the N azis. G oldm an
critics know L atin A m erican
further states that since few art historians or
history the plethora of review s that accom pany
upon its com m ercialization
entitled "M exico:
M useum ,
T herefore,
gus him g to stereotype d .,,2 7 8
In the early 1990s, surrounding
expanded
sought
countries that w ere being
each exhibit are void of any real analysis or critical evaluation.
revi s range rrom
""
t hee review
of an
S plendors
the N A F T A negotiations
of "M exicanness."
of T hirty C enturies"
M exico
In the exhibit
at the M etropolitan
F rida K ahlo becam e the poster-girl im age to represent M exico. In
a rare visit to the U nited S tates, M exican P resident C arlos S alinas de G ortari
inaugurated
the exhibit.
279
In an advertisem ent
for the exhibit S alinas is
quoted as stating:
277
T ully: 130.; G oldm an. "L atin A m erican art's U S explosion: L ooking a gift hors in
the m outh" New Art Examiner. V 17n4, D ecem ber 1989: 29.; H errera. New York
Times.: 41.
278
G oldm an. New Art Examiner: 25.
279
T ew low : 30.; H ughes: 80.
103
M exico has a culture of its ow n of w hich w e are all proud.
K now ledge
of other civilizations
hum anity's
efforts tow ard peace and progress stim ulates
enriches us. Sharing
in us an aw areness of w hat is M exican, and of our contributions
to the w orld's cultural legacy280
T his celebration
of M exican
culture through art w as an attem pt to
reveal a richer im age of M exico. B esides the involvem ent
of President
Salinas, tw o other pow erful and influential m en backed the exhibition.
w ere E m ilio A zcarraga
mediajefe
T hey
and O ctavio Paz. A zcarraga, w ho is know n as the
due to his being principal shareholder
in T elevisa, w as also the
principle backer of the exhibit.i"
N um erous
exhibits follow ed the exam ple of the "M exico:
exhibit. A m ong the exhibits w as the L ouis N ew m an
G allery's
Splendors"
exhibit "T he
U nknow n
Frida: T he W om an B ehind the W ork." T his exhibit featured a
collection
of m ore than thirty privately ow ned docum ents
and letters w ritten
by Frida, along w ith som e rare photographs.Y '
T he exhibit "M exico: Splendors"
traveled after its introduction
in
N ew Y ork. In 1992, the exhibit w as show n in San A ntonio. T o draw
attention
advertisers
used Frida's
self-portraits
to represent the exoticism
M exico. T he best exam ple of this w as seen in one billboard w here her
280
of
Self
Q uoted in G oldm an, "M etropolitan Splendors: T he B uying and Selling of M exico"
Third Text. n14. Spring 199\ 19.
281
Stevens, M ark. "South of the B order" Vanity Fair. O ctober 199\ 156, 162.
104
portrait with Monkeys
M e x ic o .
283
(1 9 4 0 ) w a s a lte re d a n d u se d a s th e le tte r "M " fo r
T h is a p p ro a c h
w h ic h h a d p re v io u sly
fu rth e re d
th e c o m m e rc ia liz a tio n
o f F rid a 's
fa c e ,
b e e n u se d in p o ste r fo rm fo r a d v e rtise m e n ts.
An e x h ib it in D a lla s, T e x a s, e n title d "M e x ic o P ic to ria l a n d F o lk Art,"
p re se n te d
th e tra d itio n s,
c u sto m s a n d v a lu e s o f M e x ic o in th e e x h ib itio n
h a lls o f th e C e n tra l C iv ic P a rk G a lle ry . T h is e x h ib itio n
in v o lv e m e n t
E m b a ssie s
o f V iv a In te rn a c io n a l,
c o m b in e d
A d v ., w ith th e c o o p e ra tio n
th e
o f th e
o f M e x ic o a n d th e U n ite d S ta te s. T h e w o rk s e x h ib ite d w e re p a rt
o f th e C u ltu ra l H e rita g e
o f P u lsa r a n d c a m e fro m th e c o lle c tio n s
c o m p a n ie s
a n d S e g u ro s C o m e rc ia l A m e ric a . T h e e x h ib it
L a M o d e rn a ,
b re a k s n e w g ro u n d
in th e re la tio n s o f in te rn a tio n a l
w e b c ite th a t a d v e rtise s
e x h ib itio n 's
d isp la y e d
c o n te m p o ra ry
in H o lla n d ,
R e g a rd in g
becom e
c h a lle n g e
y'
e x h ib its w ith a n In te rn e t
th e e x h ib it a lo n g w ith d isp la y s o f a rtw o rk . F rid a 's
My Dress Hangs There
p a in tin g
o f th e
is th e im a g e u se d in d isc u ssin g
th e
a rt se c tio n . T h e e x h ib it h a s a lre a d y b e e n
C a n a d a , a n d S p a in a s w e ll a s o th e r c o u n trie s.i'"
F rid a 's
a c o m m e rc ia liz e d
in te llin g F rid a 's
rise to sta rd o m a u th o r R a c h e l T ib o l sta te s "sh e h a s
m o n ste r in m u ltic u ltu ra l
A m e ric a . T h e u ltim a te
sto ry lie s in g e ttin g p a st a ll th e c o m m e rc ia l
hype,
M a c A d a m , B a rb a ra A . "P o stc a rd s fro m th e e d g e " Art News. V 9 1 n 1 , Ja n u a ry 1 9 9 2 :
16.
2 8 3 L ie tz , M a rg a re t Ann. The Frida Phenomenon:
The Constructed Meaning and
Commoditization of Frida Kahlo. M .A . T h e sis. A riz o n a S ta te U n iv e rsity , 1 9 9 3 : 7 6 .
282
105
as w ell as the m yriad im ages of herself she left behind.,,285 T ibol refers to the
em phasis that cultural aw areness
has called upon Frida's
im age. She has
been asked to stand in as representation
for her country, for 'Ia raza.' W ith
this in m ind it is not hard to understand
how m any in the M exican
believe that Frida's
personal life has been stripped of its political and
cultural content and elevated in im portance
over her painting. M exican
critics are at tim es irritated by the com m ercialization
conversion
M exican
art w orld
of Frida and her
into a m inority icon. H ow ever, according to G regorio L uke, a
specialist on Frida K ahlo w ho has been lecturing about her allover
the country, this com m ercialization
is healthy and even positive. "Sym bolism
creates interest. She redefines the contem porary
m odern, liberal, and independent,
M exican w om an. She w as
but she w as traditional and nourished
by
the past. ,,286
Frida's
im age has been stripped of its original m eaning, that of her
life and experience,
and has been replaced w ith the qualities of a m irror,
m ade fluid enough to reflect w hatever qualities are requested
of it at any
given tim e or for any event. She has m erely been reconstructed
into an
im age m eant to represent M exico. A n exotic im age that w ill give a new face
to that of M exico, previously seen as backw ards
284
and barbarous.
R om o G arza, A lfonso. "Pulsar Internacional" Internet hom e page:
http://w w w .infosel.com .m x/m ercado/pulsar/pictoric/ingles/presenta.htm l
285 Q uoted in Sanchez, E lena. "Frida K ahlo" Hispanic. July 1, 1993: 26.
106
The
U n ite d
M e x ic o
S ta te s
th ro u g h
m ust
phenom enon
re la tio n s
p a st fe w
th ro u g h
L a tin
b e u n d e rs to o d
o f F rid a
K a h lo
e x p e rie n c e d
decades
th e w o rk
in te re s ts
lig h t th e g ro w in g
c u ltu re
286
o v e r th e
v ie w e d
e x p re sse d
th is
in te rn a tio n a l
o f M e x ic a n
o f fin a n c ie rs
A m e ric a n
as one
a s th e
have
and
b e tw e e n
a rtis ts .
T h is
b u s in e s s e s
v ie w
th e
im a g e
of
w as
o n b o th
o n m a in s tre a m
d is c o u rs e s
p o s te r-g irl
and
le ft a ro m a n tic iz e d
in flu e n c e s
o f th e
M e x ic o
th a t p e rm e a te
s id e s .
In
A m e ric a n
the
o f M e x ic o .
Ib id . :2 8 .
107
C O N C L U S IO N :
F R ID A
In
KARLO
r e c e n t y e a r s th e m e m o r y
f o llo w in g
th a t is b a s e d
d o n n in g
e y e b ro w s,
h a s b e e n u s e d to r e p r e s e n t
th e M e x ic a n
a p o w e rfu l
o f F r id a K a h lo h a s s p a r k e d
c o s tu m e
ic o n o f c u ltu r a l
e la b o r a te
o f M e x ic o ,
F r id a 's
p o p u la r ity
p e r s o n a litie s
r e c e iv e s
h a s fo c u se d
e x tr a o r d in a r y
im a g e ,
h a ir s ty le s , a n d M e x ic a n
o f th e T e h u a n te p e c
w om en
its e lf . B y
F r id a p e r s o n if ie s
id e n tity . T h is im a g e is b o th e x o tic a n d p a s s io n a te
a m ix tu r e
m y th ic a l
a c u lt
a n e x o tic im a g e o f M e x ic o
a n d a t th e s a m e tim e f u ll o f p a in a n d s u f f e r in g .
im a g e
IC O N
o n th e im a g e o f h e r a s a c u ltu r a l ic o n . F r id a 's
th a t o f th e c h a r a c te r is tic
c o s tu m e ,
AS A CULTURAL
It is
o f p o v e r ty , r e v o lu tio n ,
is a ty p ic a l e x a m p le
a ls o th e s te r e o ty p ic a l
a n d p a r a d is e .
o f m o s t a r tis ts w h o b e c o m e
in th e p o p u la r im a g in a tio n .
T h e a ttr a c tio n
F r id a
m a in ly o n th e v iv id a n d tr a g ic d e ta ils o f h e r
lif e . R e s p o n s e s
to h e r w o r k h a v e b e e n d o m in a te d
by
108
re fle c tio n s
o n h e r life , b y h e r p a s s io n a te
fla m b o y a n t
a p p e a ra n c e ,
O ria n a B a d d e le y
tra g e d ie s
o b s e s s io n
w ith h e r h u s b a n d ,
a n d w ith h e r p h y s ic a l a n d e m o tio n a l
s ta te s th a t " w h ile
F rid a 's
o f h e r life , fo r m o s t a u d ie n c e s
her
p a in . A u th o r
art h e lp e d h e r to d e a l w ith th e
it is h e r life s to ry w h ic h a llo w s
a c c e s s to h e r a rt."
F rid a 's
a b ility to c o n q u e r
a n d p s y c h o lo g ic a l
p ro fe s s io n s
H e r fe a r o f a b a n d o n m e n t,
h e r c o n s ta n t
s u ffe rin g
h a s in s p ire d th o s e in th e m e d ic a l
to lo o k to h e r a s a n ic o n o f m e n ta l a n g u is h .
h e r n a rc is s is m ,
u s e o f a n e m o tio n a l
M unchausen
c h a ra c te ris tic s ,
m a s k h a s g a in e d h e r re fe re n c e
and
a s 'o u r la d y
o f s o rro w . '
M a n y h a v e p o in te d to th e 1 9 8 3 p u b lic a tio n
Frida,
b io g ra p h y
a s s ta rtin g th e ris e o f th e F rid a K a h lo c u lt. S in c e th e n F rid a
h a s b e e n th e s u b je c t o f T V d o c u m e n ta rie s ,
p u b lic a tio n s
a n d e x h ib its .
e m p h a s iz in g
h e r tre m e n d o u s
h e ro in e ,
film s , s ta g e p la y s , n u m e ro u s
H e r s to ry h a s b e e n to ld a n d re to ld , e a c h tim e re p a in . S h e h a s th u s , b e e n fa s h io n e d
a n ic o n o f s u ffe rin g . T h e c u lt fo llo w in g
e m p h a s iz e s
o f H a y d e n H e rre ra 's
h e r h e ro in e -lik e
in to a tra g ic
th a t h e r fa m e h a s p ro d u c e d
a b ility , th a t o f b e in g a s tro n g w o m a n
c a p a b le o f
survrvmg.
109
T h e ro m an ticism
su fferer. R ep resen tatio n s
o f F rid a as an in v alid led to h er b ein g th e m o d el
in p lay s, film s, m u sicals, an d d an ces all p o rtray h er
life as a serio u s su b ject m atter, o n e o f h ero ic trag ed y .
T rad itio n ally
elev ated co m m o n
m ed iated
w e h av e lo o k ed to ico n s an d h ero in es fo r h o w th ey h av e
h u m an ex p erien ces
im ag es an d ico n s fo rm th e essen ce o f o u r so cietal aw aren ess,
rem em b ered
frag m en ts
m ean s o f ex p lo rin g
cu ltu re. T h e o b sessio n s
w h ere w e, as a p o p u latio n ,
d o m in ated
th e
o f a celeb rity , su ch as F rid a K ah lo , m ak e u p cu lt
o b jects o f o u r im ag in ed
lan d scap e,
an d su fferin g . In a tim e w h en m ass-
w ith h er life an d d eath are a
fit in to th e p o litical
b y m ass m ed ia.
T h e trag ic h ero in e is lo o k ed at fo r th e release o f a g reat d eal o f p ain .
In F rid a's
F rid a's
ex am p le
em o tio n s
sh e raised th e b o u n d aries
b etw een life an d art. A ll o f
w ere p u t in to h er p ain tin g s. S u fferin g is p erceiv ed
to th e trag ic h ero in e.
as a g ift
If p erso n al p ain is th e p rice fo r h er art th an sh e m u st
su ffer an d learn h o w to en d u re it. F rid a, th erefo re, as th e trag ic h ero in e,
v u ln erab le
as sh e is ch arism atic.
is as
It is h er ch aracter th at en ab les h er to
en d u re.
T h ro u g h
h er co n n ectio n
w ith artists F rid a h as tran scen d ed
cu ltu re. S h e h as co m e to m ean stren g th an d en d u ran ce
art in to
an d h as b een rev ered
110
a s s a in t-lik e .
p la c e d
T h is is e x e m p lifie d
in th e g u is e o f th e V irg in
E a c h re m e m b e rin g
in a rtis t re p re s e n ta tio n s
o f G u a d a lu p e .
o f F rid a - e a c h e x h ib it, e a c h fa s h io n
o r a rtic le - h a s a d d e d to h e r im a g e , th e c re a tio n
e x o tic M e x ic 0
a ris to c ra tic
M e x ic o ,
287
S h e is v ie w e d
and peasant
a n e x a m p le
a s th e u ltim a te
a ls o a d d s to h e r im a g e . It b re a th s
e v e ry w h e re .
T h e g re a te s t
w o m e n 's
m ovem ent
c h ild b irth ,
T h ro u g h
287
w om an
F rid a 's
- b o th
d e a th a t a n e a rly a g e
h e r c lo th in g , th e w ritin g s
O ver
in h e r
h e r. E a c h tim e
n e w , m o re e x o tic a n d m y th ic , th e tra g ic h e ro in e .
to th e F rid a K a h lo c u lt h a s b e e n th e
o f th e 1 9 7 0 s . T o fe m in is t w rite rs F rid a 's
a n d d o m e s tic
v io le n c e
th e te llin g a n d re te llin g
o f fe m in is ts
F rid a a p p e a r
M e x ic a n
h e r, re c o lle c t h e r, a n d re s u rre c t
c o n trib u tio n
m is c a rria g e ,
e x p e rie n c e .
g e n e ra tio n
re m a k e
s o m e th in g
o f a n ic o n th a t s ta n d s fo r
life in to h e r a n d a d d s to h e r m y s tiq u e .
a n d o v e r a g a in w e lo o k a t h e r p a in tin g s ,
she becom es
show , book
- a n d a g re a t s u c c e s s s to ry a s a fe m a le a rtis t in
fo r w o m e n
d ia ry . W e c o n tin u a lly
w h e re F rid a is
s y m b o liz e d
o f F rid a 's
h a v e ta k e n o n th e F rid a w o rs h ip .
in v e n u e s o ffe m in is t
p a in tin g s
of
th e fe m a le
s to ry a n e w
R e p re s e n ta tio n s
lite ra tu re a n d re fe re n c e s
to fe m in is ts
of
in
J a c o b s o n , M a x . " B e s t B e ts " Los Angeles Times. A u g u s t 2 2 , 1 9 9 6 : F -2 .; B o w e rs
M u s e u m o f C u ltu ra l A rts in S a n ta A n n a o ffe re d a n in d e p th e x p o s u re o f F rid a K a h lo .
T h e re w e re s a m p le s o f fo o d fro m F rid a 's re c ip e s ; p a p ic r-m a c h e v e rs io n s o f h e r w o rk (a
s e rie s b y a rtis t J o a q u in V illa s e n o r); a c h a n c e to ta lk w ith G e n e v iv e S o u th g a te , a F rid a
im p e rs o n a to r w h o re fe rs to h e rs e lf a s a F rid a " s p irit" ; a ls o a film a b o u t h e r life w a s
s h o w n . A d d itio n a lly H iro k o B e n k o o f S a n ta B a rb a ra , C a lifo rn ia , m a k e s d o lls o f
111
g e n e r a l.
H e r n a m e is b e in g u s e d a lo n g s id e
R o o s e v e lt,
a n d A m e lia E a r h a r t,
a ll o f w h o m
T h e im a g e o f F r id a r e p r e s e n ts
r e m o d e le d
p ro d u c e d
p ro d u c t
to f it in to f o llo w in g
o f F r id a 's
p la y in g
g e n e r a tio n s .
c a r d s , b u tto n s
tr a n s p a r e n t
p o p u la r
th a t it r e f le c ts
W o o lf ,
E le a n o r
ic o n s .
th e tim e s h e liv e d in a n d h a s b e e n
im a g e , s h e is r e m a d e
im a g e o f m a s s - m e d ia te d
I n th e v a r io u s r e p r e s e n ta tio n s
a s a c u ltu r a l s y m b o l to s ta n d a s a
a n d p in s .
288
f o r c a le n d a r s ,
p o s te r s ,
S h e h a s b e e n re b o rn
c u ltu r e . T h e im a g e p r o d u c e d
n o t u p o n F r id a 's
as an
is s o
lif e b u t u p o n th e m e s s a g e
fo r
it h a s b e e n r e c r e a te d .
D u r in g
th e s u m m e r
portrait as Tehuana
e x h ib it
a r e f e m a le
o f th e e r a . H e r im a g e is r e c o n s tr u c te d
p o s tc a r d s ,
w h ic h
th a t o f V ir g in ia
"Art
o f 1 9 8 9 , r e p r o d u c tio n s
w e r e s e e n a ll o v e r L o n d o n
in L a tin A m e r ic a ."
o f F r id a 's
p a in tin g
Self-
a s a m e a n s o f a d v e r tis in g
T h is e x h ib it c o n s is te d
th e
o f o v e r o n e -h u n d re d
c e le b r itie s , in c lu d in g F r id a , th a t s e ll f r o m $ 3 5 0 to $ 7 5 0 . F o r a d d itio n a l in f o r m a tio n o n
th e d o lls s e e : h ttp ://w w w .s to n n c r o w .c o m /d o lls /
288
N e w c a le n d a r s a r e p r o d u c e d e a c h y e a r . C h r o n ic le B o o k s p u b lis h e d a c a le n d a r f o r
1 9 9 6 . L ik e w is e , F r id a a p p e a r s in s e v e r a l b o o k s o f c a r d s a n d p o s tc a r d s . F o r e x a m p le ,
T a s c h e n p u b lis h e d a b o o k o f th ir ty F r id a K a h lo p o s tc a r d s in 1 9 9 2 ; C h r o n ic le B o o k s
o f f e r s a h a r d c o v e r a r tb o x v e r s io n w ith c a r d s a n d a b o o k le t o f p ic tu r e s a n d w r itin g s .
N u m e r o u s p la y in g c a r d s in c lu d e F r id a 's p a in tin g s , s u c h a s A r td e c k p r in te d in B e lg iu m
in 1 9 9 3 . A r tis t R h o n d a K u h lm a h a s c r e a te d b o ttle - e a p je w e lr y . B y ta k in g o ld b o ttle c a p s , p la c in g a p ic tu r e o f a c e le b r ity ( in c lu d in g F r id a 's p o r tr a its ) o n th e in s id e a n d a
p in o n th e o th e r s id e , s h e h a s c r e a te d a f o r m o f b u tto n s th a t a r e s o ld a t " T w is t" s h o p s .
A r tis t S u s a n G o u ld , a lo n g th e s a m e lin e p la c e s F r id a 's p o r tr a its in b r a c e le ts th a t a r e
a ls o s o ld a t " T w is t." K its c h b o x e s w ith F r id a 's p o r tr a its m a y a ls o b e f o u n d a t s h o p s
th a t d is p la y tr e n d y ite m s to c o lle c t. T h is c o n c e p t is ta k e n to th e e x tr e m e w ith L o s
A n g e le s 's " L ittle F r id a " c a f e . A u th o r J u d d T u lly ( 1 9 9 4 : 1 2 6 ) r e p o r ts c o - o w n e r R ita
B o y a d jia n s ta tin g th a t th e c a f e w a n ts to s ta r t a n '8 0 0 ' n u m b e r f o r a F r id a K a h lo
m e r c h a n d is in g c o m p a n y .
112
M exican
artists, yet Frida's
portrait w as chosen to represent an im age of
M exico.
T he follow ing year Frida's
posters in N ew Y ork advertising
C enturies."
self portraits w ere seen on billboards
the exhibit "M exico: Splendors
In this exam ple Frida's
and
of T hirty
im age w as asked to take on m ore than
previously. She becam e the face for M exico during a tim e of econom ic
discussions
alteration
betw een the U nited States and M exico. In San A ntonio the
of Frida's
painting Self-portrait
of Frida as a representation
with Monkeys led to the indication
of M exico itsele
89
T hese paintings have com e to m ean so m uch m ore as the im age
changes w ith each intended representation.
T he icon of Frida's
im age, is
loose and free of containm ent.
T he im age has flooded the m ass-m ediated
w orld and becom e a m ediating
body of its ow n. In a sense the im age is
reflective of the m ediatrix, com m only referred to as the V irgin M ary. T he
m ediatrix
intercedes
understood
T herefore,
betw een
betw een G od and m an. Frida, in this sense m ay be
as a m ediatrix w hose im age is recycled by the m ass m edia.
it is through the m ass m edia that she appears and m ediates
the m edia and the people. H er im age has thus, becom e m ore than
that of a m ere M exican w om an, it has com e to represent M exico as a w hole,
as an exotic im age of its ow n.
289
L ietz: 76.
113
This new hybrid image created from the media can live forever as an
image of itself It is the body of the icon. Now Frida, the icon, lives forever
as a represented character. She is a sign of power, that conveys culture
represented in a woman's body.
114
CHRONOLOGY
1907
O n J u ly 6 , M a g d a le n a C a rm e n F rid a K a h lo w a s b o rn to
M a tild e C a ld e ro n a n d G u ille rm o K a h lo in C o y o a c a n ,
M e x ic o C ity .
1 9 1 0 -1 9 2 0
M e x ic a n R e v o lu tio n
1913
F rid a c o n tra c ts p o lio w h ic h im p a irs h e r rig h t le g
1922
E n ro lls in th e E s c u e la N a c io n a l P re p a ra to ria .
1925
O n S e p te m b e r 1 7 , F rid a w a s in v o lv e d in a s tre e tc a r a c c id e n t
th a t c h a n g e s h e r life fo re v e r.
1928
S h e b e c o m e s m e m b e r o f th e M e x ic a n C o m m u n is t P a rty .
1929
A u g u s t 2 1 , m a rrie d D ie g o R iv e ra .
1930
F r i d a 's f i r s t p r e g n a n c y a b o r t e d a t t h r e e m o n t h s d u e t o
c o m p lic a tio n s .
1930
O n N o v e m b e r 1 0 , F rid a a n d D ie g o m o v e to S a n F ra n c is c o
w h e re D ie g o h a d re c e iv e d a m u ra l c o m m is s io n .
115
1932
F rid a an d D ieg o trav el to D etro it w h ere D ieg o h ad a
co m m issio n fo r a m u ral at th e D etro it In stitu te o f A rts.
1932
Ju ly 4 , F rid a h as a m iscarriag e.
1932
S ep tem b er IS , F rid a's m o th er d ied .
1933
F rid a an d D ieg o m o v e to N ew Y o rk fo r a m u ral co m m issio n .
1934
D ieg o b eg in s an affair w ith F rid a's sister C ristin a
1934
F rid a h as an o th er m iscarriag e. H er rig h t fo o t is o p erated o n fo r
th e first tim e an d so m e to es are rem o v ed .
1935
H er rig h t fo o t is o p erated o n ag ain , tak in g six m o n th s to recu p erate.
1936
F rid a u n d erg o es su rg ery , a th ird o p eratio n o n h er fo o t.
1937
O n Jan u ary 9 , L eo n T ro tsk y an d h is w ife N atalia arriv e in M ex ico .
1937
G aleria d e A rte (D ep artm en t o f S o cial A ctio n o fth e N atio n al
A u to n o m o u s U n iv ersity o f M ex ico ).
1938
Ju lien L ev y G allery , N ew Y o rk : N o v em b er I-IS ; so lo ex h ib it,
b ro ch u re b y A n d re B reto n .
1938
S ells fo u r p ain tin g s to A m erican acto r E d w ard G . R o b in so n .
116
1939
E x h ib it at P ierre C o lle G allery "M ex iq u e"
P aris: o rg an ized
by
M arcel D u ch am p .
1939
F rid a an d D ieg o file fo r d iv o rce in S ep tem b er.
1940
F rid a an d D ieg o rem arry o n D ecem b er
1940
In es A m o rs
E x h ib itio n "
P eru v ian
G allery o f M ex ican
M ex ico : o rg an ized
8
th
A rt; "In tern atio n al
S u rrealism
b y su rrealist w riter A n d re B reto n ,
w riter C esar M o ro , A u strian p ain ter W o lfan g
P aaIen ,
an d F ren ch artist A lice R ah o n .
1940
E x h ib it at G o ld en G ate In tern atio n al
1940
E x h ib it 'T w en ty
1940
E x h ib it at P alace o f F in e A rts an d N atio n al P ain tin g F air; cu rated
C en tu ries
E x p o sitio n ,
S an F ran cisco
o f M ex ican A rt," N ew Y o rk
b y K ah lo , M ex ico .
1941
E x h ib it at In stitu te o f C o n tem p o rary
P ain ter,"
A rts; "M o d ern
M ex ican
B o sto n .
1941
A p ril 1 4 , F rid a's
1942
O n F eb ru ary 2 8 , sh e is selected to b eco m e a fo u n d in g
o f th e S em in ario
fath er d ied .
m em b er
d e C u ltu ra M ex ican a.
117
1942
R eceived a teaching position at the E scuela de Pintura y E scultura
"L a E sm eralda".
1942
E xhibit at M useum of M odern A rt; "Portraits of the T w entieth
C entury," N ew Y ork.
1942
E xhibit "First Papers of Surrealism " sponsored by the C ouncil
of French R elief Societies.
1943
E xhibit at B enjam in Franklin L ibrary; "O ne H undred Y ears
of the M exican Portrait," M exico.
1943
E xhibit "First Salon of the Flow er," M exico: organized by
Secretaria de A gricultura y Fom ento.
1943
E xhibit at Philadelphia M useum of A rt; "M exican A rt T oday,"
Philadelphia.
1943
E xhibit at Peggy G uggenheim 's A rt of this C entury G allery;
"W om en A rtists," N ew Y ork.
1943
E xhibit at Palacio de B ellas A rtes; "Solon L ibre 20 de
N oviem bre," M exico.
1944
E xhibit at G allery of C ontem porary Painters, M exico.
118
1944
E x h ib it a t S e g u n d o S a lo n d e la F lo r, M e x ic o C ity .
1944
" T h e C h ild in A rt" e x h ib it s p o n s o re d b y th e B e n ja m in
F ra n k lin L ib ra ry .
1946
A w a rd e d th e n a tio n a l p riz e fo r p a in tin g b y th e S e c re ta ry o f
P u b lic E d u c a tio n .
1946
F rid a u n d e rw e n t a b o n e g ra ft o n h e r s p in a l c o lu m n .
1947
E x h ib it T h e In s titu to N a c io n a l d e B e lla s A rte s ; " F o rty -F iv e S e lfP o rtra its b y M e x ic a n P a in te rs ," M e x ic o .
1947
E x h ib it a t M u s e o N a c io n a l d e A rte s P la s tic a s , P a la c io d e B e lla s
A rte s , M e x ic o .
1948
E x h ib it
L a S o c ie d a d p a ra e l Im p u ls o d e la s A rte s P la s tic a s ,
M e x ic o .
1949
E x h ib it
S a lo n d e la P la s tic a M e x ic a n a in a u g u ra tio n e x h ib it),
M e x ic o .
1950
H o s p ita liz e d fo r n in e m o n th s d u e to a n in fe c tio n c o n tra c te d
d u rin g h e r b o n e g ra ft s u rg e ry .
1953
E x h ib it a t N a tio n a l In s titu te o f F in e A rts , M e x ic o C ity .
119
1953
Exhibit at Lola Alvarez Bravo Gallery, retrospective) M exico:
first solo exhibit in M exico.
1953
Her right leg is amputated below the knee.
1954
She is hospitalized twice. W hile recovering from
bronchopneumonia she attends a demonstration against United States
intervention in the overthrow of the Guatemalan president.
1954
July 13, Frida Kahlo died.
1956
Lola Alvarez Bravo Gallery, M exico: July 13: solo exhibit.
1957
November 24, Diego Rivera died.
1958
Frida Kahlo M useum opens July 12, M exico.
1966
"The Life and Death of Frida Kahlo" film by Karen and
David Crommie.
1968
Olympics XIX, M exico City; Tlatalelco massacre.
1970
"Frida Kahlo: Viva la Vida" play by Frederica Schroeder Inclan
at M exico City's Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes.
1971
"Frida Kahlo" film by M arcela Fernandez-Violante at the
University Nacional Autonoma de M exico.
120
1973
E x h ib it a t M u se u m o f M o d e rn A rt (re tro sp e c tiv e ), M e x ic o C ity ;
A u g u st 1 3 , c o m m e m o ra tiv e
zo" a n n iv e rsa ry
o f h e r d e a th ;
o rg a n iz e d b y F e rn a n d o G a m b o a , m u se u m d ire c to r: so lo e x h ib it.
1977
P a la c e o f F in e A rts (re tro sp e c tiv e ) M e x ic o C ity , F a ll: so lo e x h ib it.
1977
S o th e b y 's la u n c h e d a sa le o f L a tin A m e ric a n a rt; F rid a 's w o rk
e n te re d th e m a rk e t in 1 9 7 9 .
1978
"M e x ic o T o d a y S y m p o siu m "
1978
E x h ib it a t M u se u m o f C o n te m p o ra ry A rt, C h ic a g o :
o rg a n iz e d b y H a y d e n H e rre ra : so lo e x h ib it.
1978
E x h ib it a t G a le ria d e la R a z a ; "H o m a g e to F rid a K a h le ," S a n
F ra n c isc o : N o v e m b e r, c e le b ra tio n o f th e D a y o f th e D e a d .
1978
M a n d e v ille A rt G a lle ry , U C S a n D ie g o ; th ro u g h M a y 1 7 :
so lo e x h ib it.
1978
P h o e n ix A rt M u se u m , A riz o n a ; Ju n e 9 -Ju ly 2 3 : so lo e x h ib it.
1978
U n iv e rsity o f T e x a s A rt M u se u m a t A u stin ; A u g u st 1 3 - O c to b e r 1 :
so lo e x h ib it.
121
1978
S arah C am pbell B laffer G allery, U niversity of H ouston;
14-N ovem ber
1978
1982
O ctober
19: solo exhibit.
N euberger
M useum ,
S tate U niversity of N ew Y ork at P urchase;
D ecem ber
8-January
4, 1979; solo exhibit.
W hitechapel
L ondon;
A rt G allery, "F rida K ahlo & T ina M odotti,"
exhibit traveled to G erm any and N ew Y ork.
1982
C hristie's
entered the L atin A m erican art m arket.
1983
H ayden H errera's
1983
R aquel T ibol' s
Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo: An Open Life
translated
published.
and
published.
1984
N ational
P atrim ony
S tatute (her artw ork m ay not be sold outside
M exico any longer).
V iva" film by
Paul
1984
"F rida: N aturaleza
1985
E xhibit: "F rida K ahlo, 1907-1954"
L educ.
(A priI30-June
15)
S alas P ablo R uiz P icasso; P aseo de R ecoletos 22 M adrid.
L oaned
by M inisterie de C ultura D ireccion
G eneral de B ellas
A rtes.
1986
"T rotsky
and F rida: T he M usical"
play.
122
1987
Exhibit "Art of the Fantastic," Indianapolis Museum of Art.
1988
Exhibit "Images of Mexico: The Contribution of Mexico to 20th
Century Art," Dallas Museum of Art.
1989
PBS Monday night special film on September 4 th
1990
Exhibit at Metropolitan Museum; "Mexico: Splendors of Thirty
Centuries," New York.
1991
"Frida" play by Hilary Bletcher, opened at Plays and
Players Theater.
1992
"Frida Kahlo: Ribbon Around a Bomb" hour-long
documentary film.
1992
Louis Newman Gallery; "The Unknown Frida: The Woman
Behind the Work": solo exhibit ofletters and photographs.
1992
"Pasion por Frida" Mexican Museum in San Francisco.
Exhibit and play.
1992
"Women in Mexico" National Academy of Design, New York.
1992
Exhibit "Mexico: Splendors of Thirty Centuries," San Antonio
Museum of Art.
123
Art.
1992
E x h ib it a t L o s A n g e le s C o u n ty M u s e u m o f
1993
E x h i b i t : " T h e W o r l d o f F r i d a K a h l e " H o u s t o n 's M u s e u m o f
F in e A rt; A u g u s t: o rg a n iz e d b y th e S c h im K u n s th a lle in
G e rm a n y a n d s p o n s o re d b y P h ilip M o rris C o . In c .
1993
" F rid a : P o rtra it o f a W o m a n " film .
1994
P h o t o g r a p h i c e x h i b i t " F r i d a a n d h e r w o r l d ," f e a t u r e d 4 9 b l a c k
a n d w h ite p h o to s b y L o la A lv a re z B ra v o ; M u s e o d e la s A m e ric a s .
F e b ru a ry 3 -2 8 . P a rt
o f a tra v e lin g e x h ib it th a t o rig in a te d fro m th e
In s titu to C u ltu ra l M e x ic a n o o f S a n A n to n io .
1994
L o u i s V a l e d e z 's f i l m " F r i d a a n d D i e g o " , w h i c h n e v e r h a p p e n e d .
1994
" T ro ts k y a n d F rid a " p la y a t A T ra v e lin g J e w is h T h e a te r.
1994
" S u ite fo r F rid a K a h lo " fo u r p a rt s u ite , c o m p o s itio n b y J a m e s
N e w to n .
1995
E x h ib it a t M ilw a u k ie A rt M u s e u m , " L a tin A m e ric a n W o m e n
A rtis ts 1 9 1 5 -1 9 9 5 "
1995
" F rid a K a h lo : A u to rre tra to d e l d o lo r (s e lf-p o rtra it o f p a in ) p la y b y
G r u p o d e T e a t r o S i n e r g i ,a p e r f o r m e d a t
William
R e ig h L a s A n g e le s
P h o to g ra p h ic C e n te r.
124
1996
E x h ib it a t T h r o c k m o r to n
N ew
A r t G a lle r y , " F r id a K a h lo U n m a s k e d ,"
Y o r k : s o lo e x h ib it o f p h o to g r a p h s
M useum
1996
E x h ib it
a t M o d e rn
1996
E x h ib it:
" M e x ic o
tr a v e le d
to H o lla n d ,
1996
" F r id a "
o n e p e r s o n d a n c e b y L ic ia P e r e a .
1996
"S o m b ra
P ic to r ia l
C anada
y S o l (Im a g e s
th e J o s e L im o n D a n c e
o f M o d e rn
o f F r id a K a h lo .
A r t, S a n F r a n c is c o .
a n d F o lk A r t" D a lla s , T e x a s ; e x h ib it a ls o
a n d S p a in .
o f F r id a K a h lo ) "
d a n c e p ro d u c e d
th r o u g h
C om pany.
125
B IB L IO G R A P H Y
B ooks
A d e s, D a w n . A rt in L a tin A m e ric a : T h e M o d e m
H aven and L ondon:
Y a le U n iv e rsity
E ra , 1 9 2 0 -1 9 8 0 . N e w
P re ss, 1 9 8 9 .
W o m e n o f S m o k e . tra n sla te d
A g o sin , M a rg o rie .
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Teresa Tate