How Did Frida Khalo Influence Her Work

Frida khalo has changed the word by speaking her mind through art Within her short life, Frida was slightly crippled from polio, she also suffered from a street car accident and was left infertile. Her work was influenced by traumatic events and from her pain she created art. Many of her paintings were self-portraits, and the way she painted and the things she depicted liberating and interesting for many women's . She was an intelligent woman in a society that wanted women to be pretty, submissive wives and mothers. Her struggle with cultural demands of her gender in a time where women were demanding a change in their role. I find this to be very revolutionary for a woman of her time, no other woman had the courage to stand up for
what they believed but her. Some of her paintings were morbid and some lead to her sexuality, something that would probably get you the worst reputation of this times. She wasn't scared to say what she had in mind, she was an active member of global society and was a powerful speaker for her beliefs through her art. By trying to take on two gender roles at once she is constantly advocating for both sexes and ultimately helping us deconstruct our false gender dichotomies. She gained recognition for her work because it's complex and provocative, and demanding discussion. Frida Kahlo taught many women around the world that one does not need to be a woman or a feminist to conduct oneself in a manner that reflects and supports their ideals.
Her art can address political issues and eventually bring about change when it’s relevant and enough people can relate to it. Her work dealt explicitly with subjects such as abortion, miscarriage, gender inequalities, and the personal and sexual lives of women, not only did she not remove her unibrow or faint mustache. She was a feminist, and a fighter for equality, the way she looked made other women love themselves seeing their beauty in their flaws. Her art seems very closely tied to her ups and downs of her marriage with her husband Diego Rivera.
Often times she has been criticized for focusing too much in her work instead of being the docile wife expected of her. She dealt with the interrelationship between the personal and the political, Which made her marriage really hard. Many of her painting dealt with her being a woman and the things women have to go through and man don’t. Just like her painting “My Birth” where frida draws herself being born. In this painting the head of Kahlo, with closed eyes, is coming out from between a woman's outstretched legs.
Through a woman's consciousness Kahlo brings to center stage the process of birth in which women, not men, play a dominant role. Just like a woman can give birth, they can also go through not being able to have a kid of their own. After her terrible car accident and her broke spine doctors told Frida that she will never carry a pregnancy even though the doctors warned her about the situation frida got pregnant but just like the doctors told her she had a miscarriage.
After the terrible pain Frida began work on a series of masterpieces which has no precedent in the history of art paintings which exalted the feminine qualities of endurance of truth, reality, cruelty, and
suffering. Never before had a woman put such agonized poetry as Frida did. Many women who had been through the situation understood her pain and loved her art. She was the victim of patriarchal culture, victim of an unfaithful husband, and simply the victim of a horrific accident.
Pain is almost always evident but it varied from physical and emotional pain ( Theguardian.com).
Maybe that's the reason why Khalo was understood by many not just by woman but by man as well. All the negativity and betrayal she had been bottling up finally comes out in art like blood gushing out of a deep flesh wound.
I think Frida best depicts her physical pain through a piece called “The Broken Columns” this surrealistic painting shows a partially nude Frida wearing a steel corset because the column that makes up her spine is broken and weak. She is also covered in nails, all different shapes and size showing us the areas that bothered her the most or also symbolizing all the invasive surgeries. In this portrait Frida is crying because she is seemingly deteriorating and she knows that she must deal with her pain alone and in her own way. Pain is all Frida ever really knew which is extremely evident in her works, she would try and learn from her experiences but ultimately was not afraid because she already knew the true meaning of pain.
She dealt with insecurities just like any human being, Her portraits speak about love and despair and loneliness and pain but there’s always an underlying sense of pride and defiance in all of her
work.

Frida fought for what she believed in, giving courage to not just woman but also man around the world. she participated in a public protest against U.S. intervention in Guatemala , seven days before her death. Ever since Hayden Herrera published the book called “Biography of Frida Kahlo”, it also helped to stir up interest this great artist and even more when Hollywood made a movie about her life which she was played by Salma Hayek, Her art was brought back and display to new eyes which was nominated for six Academy Awards and won for Best Makeup and Original Score. (www.biography.com) Frida was a strong woman but in a weak body,in my opinion it would take while until another revolutionary woman like her would move her down from the temple that she is as a fighter. She not only fought for herself but she also spoke out for all the other woman describing the pain in many subjects like Infertility, Marriage affairs, disabilities, alcoholism and courage. She was politically active, but she was not always right. Even though her paintings were mainly about her life, she somehow try to find a way to connect the painting to her political belief. She connect to different types of people because she knew that money didn’t make a difference we are all humans that make mistakes. Frida Khalo has became even more of a cultural icon since her death, The Museum of contemporary Art in Chicago has created an exhibition to examine her influence so young minds can inspire themselves to speak their own opinions. Her Blue House was opened as a museum in 1958. nominated for six Academy Awards and won for Best Makeup and Original Score. Many artist now and day have created beautiful art inspired by her, but no as been close to putting so much attitude to an art piece.