Frida Kathryn Barton Analysis

The concept of duality can be clearly seen in several artists’ artwork. Although, the particular artists’ being focused on are Frida Kahlo and Del Kathryn Barton. These artists’ have utilised the concept of duality to enhance the meaning of their works. Frida Kahlo, Mexican’s most famous female painter incorporated pain and passion into her original and intimate art. On the other hand, Del Kathryn Barton, explores the vital dualities of the human psyche. There is a strong connection between Kahlo and Barton’s works, due to the clearness of their dualities, especially in the artworks chosen; Kahlo’s artworks being The Two Fridas and Tree of Hope, Stay Strong, and Barton’s works being Girl #9 and Boy #1.
Frida Kahlo’s work reflects and explores
Produced over 60 years apart, The Two Fridas was created in 1939 and Girl #9 in 2004, these two works have some similarities. A difference is the materials; Kahlo uses oil paint whereas Barton uses synthetic polymer paint, gouache, watercolour and ink on canvas. The main way that they similar is that both artists perceived duality in their work. Another feature that they have in common is what dualities are present in the work. Kahlo’s artwork reflects the concept of duality through expressing her identity as a product of two cultures, which are separate, suggested by the painting almost to be opposites. Barton has a similar approach in her artwork Girl #9, exploring duality by relating the human psyche to animals, what appears to be cute and gentle may also be carnal and predatory. To understand Kahlo’s duality, it is useful to think of it as literally ripping herself in half and painting each cultural identity. Whereas Barton’s duality is hidden in her work, the duality of a persona is portrayed through a sole figure. The dualities are essentially the same, however each artist portrays them
In this painting, there are two Fridas; the left, European Frida is lying on a hospital trolley wrapped in a white sheet with her back to the viewer and the other, Mexican Frida is sitting, an upright and confident figure, a symbol of womanhood, long identified as her inner source of strength, as also shown in The Two Fridas. This is the familiar figure seen in many of Frida Kahlo’s works. She holds in her lap a large back brace, and seems to be wearing the same device under her dress. On the flagpole, the Mexican Frida is holding, there is a red tip that looks to be like a surgical instrument stained with blood, or a paintbrush dipped in red paint. Colour has been applied by Kahlo to divide the composition in half, heightening the duality. On the left, bright colours have been used behind her European self, and on the right, softer colours have been used behind her Mexican self. There is also an implied texture of the bottom of Mexican Frida’s dress. Kahlo has used symbols within this work, one is the two scars on her back, symbolising the pain and agony in a body which she might find herself in for the rest of her life. Space has also been applied by Kahlo as you can see distance in the background – showing a barren Mexican landscape. In this barren landscape there are two fissures which relates back to the two wounds in her back. In this portrait, one Frida is a victim of tragedy