Frida Kahlo: Female Artist

It seems necessary in my own mind to say "oh, the artist is a woman!" The more I study art, the more I am impacted in the still massive imbalance of male to female artists, despite during my education, the massive imbalance of girls studying the arts compared to boys. There are more women recognised for their art now and I can't help but have more and more respect for those women in the early part of last century, wading against the huge power of numbers and critique. She had an unusually powerful sense of self and entitlement which must have been her defense against a world that would regularly say no, and certainly wouldn't pay the same for the same thing: good art.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frida_Kahlo

"Frida Kahlo de Rivera (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈfɾiða ˈkalo]; born Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón; July 6, 1907 – July 13, 1954) was a Mexican artist who painted many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, she employed a naïve folk art style to explore questions of identity, postcolonialism, gender, class, and race in Mexican society.[1] Her paintings often had strong autobiographical elements and mixed realism with fantasy. In addition to belonging to the post-revolutionary Mexicayotl movement, which sought to define a Mexican identity, Kahlo has been described as a surrealist or magical realist.

Kahlo's work has been celebrated internationally as emblematic of Mexican national and Indigenous traditions, and by feminists for what is seen as its uncompromising depiction of the female experience and form.[2]"



Kahlo painted many self portraits or pictures with herself depicted. The portrait is not directly face on but she is looking at the viewer. Her hair is tied back and so her face is very prominant. Her strong eyebrows, which she always included to identify herself, however naive the painting, almost feel like she is saying something about her self aware strength and identity. In the same way she rarely neglects the shadow of upper lip hair. A statement about her masculine self perhaps..The delicate lace of her dress is in stark contrast with her strong and dark features, and a necklace talks of her self respect and dignity somehow.



I love this painting and to see Kahlo with the painting. The lush, exotic greenery in the background is a brilliantly balanced colour palette to illuminate her face. The necklace, organic and still growing around her neck, butterflies as hair adornments connect her profoundly to these natural elements. The two creatures, a cat and a monkey on her left and right shoulder respectively, may be suggesting something about aspects of her self. A curious and intelligent creature, and an independent, mystical creature. The cat may be aware of the dead bird around her neck and she seems to be wearing the dynamic and drama of hunting as an integral part of her own life's drama. This image is loaded with symbolism. Kahlo makes beautiful art with strong images anmd a potent message of personal and cultural identity.