Frida Kahlo’s Personal Photos and Letters
When I ask people to name as many famous fine art painters who were women, the list is usually fairly short. I’m not sure why so few names are front of mind. The list usually stalls after just a few names. Grandma Moses. Mary Cassett. Georgia O’Keeffe. And perhaps… Frida Kahlo.
Frida Kahlo was probably best known for her expressive and symbolic self-portraits and as the wife of Mexican muralist and Cubist painter Diego Rivera.
Born outside of Mexico City in 1907, Frida she survived a bout of polio as a child, and while studying medicine, she was involved in a terrible auto accident which broke her spine, collarbone, pelvis, ribs, leg in 11 places and crushed her foot. She would undergo more than 30 operations throughout her life due to the accident.
During her lengthy recovery, she started painting in bed with brightly colored oils. A few years later she met and married the famous Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. The marriage was rocky and survived a divorce and remarriage and many affairs by both, including her alleged affair with Communist revolutionary Leon Trotsky. A 20 year age difference between her and her husband probably didn’t help.
Kahlo’s style was primitive, including many self-portraits (55 of her 143 paintings). She used religious and surrealistic symbolisms to express pain, both physical and mental.
In tandem with Frida Kahlo’s 100th birthday, the NMWA (which I have written about before - click here) is displaying a series unpublished photos and personal letters that were sealed until opened 50 years after her death.
National Museum of Women in the Arts
1250 New York Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20005-3970 (map it)
Tickets - Adults: $10.00, Seniors 60+ and students: $8.00, Kids 18 and under are free. Free admission on the first Sunday of every month.
Hours - Monday-Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sunday: noon - 5:00 p.m. Through October 14th.
Nearest Metro subway station – Metro Center - Red, Blue or Orange lines then a two-block walk.
Parking - Metered parking and area garages are available.
And speaking of women in art, here’s an amazing video clip that transitions 500 years of the female face from the Renaissance to modern art.
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7 Comments
You’re right Jon, I’ve never realized how few famous women artist there are! Camille Claudel, although known more as a sculptor was also a painter, but unfortunately people remember her more for her relationship with Rodin!
I love the video clip!
Opps! I forgot to mention that I saw Frieda Kahlo’s paintings in Mexico. She really spent a lot of time looking at herself! lol
Lynn: I wonder if both Frieda and Camile (who’s sculptures I love), would be known today if it were not for their relationships with famous artists. Kind of like Nichole Richie, without her father’s fame, she’d just be another rich kid in need of rehab.
I think Fridas work stands on its own with out Diego. She had a unique talent.
What an incredible video!
I agree with Cheri, Frida’s accomplishments and talent are arguably greater than Diego’s. She was a superior artist in terms of both ability and originality.
She would have achieved the recognition with or without him.
It is true that noone remember the names of female artists. Also there are not many museums worldwide that take the subject “women artists” for shows or discussions. But looking, especially from the midsts of the 18th century, they are there, fighting for their right to express themselves through art.
Although the video was very beautiful, it is said that it is not representative of all nationalities of women.