Frida Kahlo
“Diego on My Mind” by Frida Kahlo
Natashia Brown
March 1, 2011
Art Appreciation
ART 1131
[pic]
Frida Kahlo was an artist who suffered a tragedy the age of 18 that forced her to give up her dreams and aspirations of becoming a doctor. She was involved in a bus accident that left her debilitated and broken. Throughout the course of her life she was in constant pain not only because of the accident, but because of her husband Diego Rivera. Diego was 20 years older than Frida, but she referred to him as her baby. After the accident ruined her chances of becoming a doctor, she followed in her father’s footsteps and became an artist. He was a photographer. Frida started to paint. This became an outlet for her after her issues with infertility and Diego’s numerous affairs. Frida began to have her own affairs after Diego had an affair with her own sister, Cristina. Friends say she was not above embellishing the truth while drinking, smoking, and using bad language at parties. She painted pictures that revealed her own reality and often shocked the art world with her pieces just as she shocked her friends with her behavior at times. After more than 30 surgeries due to the accident, she was left mentally broken and in severe pain. As a result she used painkillers and sometimes took them with alcohol, but she still attempted to paint. The combination of painkillers and alcohol caused her paintings to appear careless and hasty. Diego and painting were her life and one of her paintings is called “Diego in My Thoughts”. In the portrait, it shows a picture of Frida herself as well as Diego on her forehead just above her thick, dark eyebrows. This picture of Diego represents the fact that he was always on her mind. At some time of the day or another, he was in her thoughts. Under her sad eyes are teardrops that represent her sadness about the accident and Diego’s indiscretions. Although she would make light of these affairs, they hurt her deeply because of her
Natashia Brown
March 1, 2011
Art Appreciation
ART 1131
[pic]
Frida Kahlo was an artist who suffered a tragedy the age of 18 that forced her to give up her dreams and aspirations of becoming a doctor. She was involved in a bus accident that left her debilitated and broken. Throughout the course of her life she was in constant pain not only because of the accident, but because of her husband Diego Rivera. Diego was 20 years older than Frida, but she referred to him as her baby. After the accident ruined her chances of becoming a doctor, she followed in her father’s footsteps and became an artist. He was a photographer. Frida started to paint. This became an outlet for her after her issues with infertility and Diego’s numerous affairs. Frida began to have her own affairs after Diego had an affair with her own sister, Cristina. Friends say she was not above embellishing the truth while drinking, smoking, and using bad language at parties. She painted pictures that revealed her own reality and often shocked the art world with her pieces just as she shocked her friends with her behavior at times. After more than 30 surgeries due to the accident, she was left mentally broken and in severe pain. As a result she used painkillers and sometimes took them with alcohol, but she still attempted to paint. The combination of painkillers and alcohol caused her paintings to appear careless and hasty. Diego and painting were her life and one of her paintings is called “Diego in My Thoughts”. In the portrait, it shows a picture of Frida herself as well as Diego on her forehead just above her thick, dark eyebrows. This picture of Diego represents the fact that he was always on her mind. At some time of the day or another, he was in her thoughts. Under her sad eyes are teardrops that represent her sadness about the accident and Diego’s indiscretions. Although she would make light of these affairs, they hurt her deeply because of her
References: Brooks, Mike (2005). Frida Kahlo, Paintings, Works, Photos, Drawings, Sketches, Biography, Films, Chronology, Bio, Art, Self Portrait. Retrieved March 1, 2011 from www.fridakahlofans.com Herrera, Hayden. Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2002.