Frida Kahlo Accomplishments

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Frida Kahlo: Tints and Hues of Pain What does a legend look like? Imagine a vivacious woman adorned in antique jewelry, wearing a colorful Tehuantepec dress. An intricate design of flowers and ribbons weaves itself throughout her hair, which is braided neatly and piled upon her head. A thick, dark brow swipes across her forehead, adding an element of harshness to her delicate face. Beneath lie her piercing eyes – a pair of eyes not easily forgotten. Her name is Frida Kahlo, and she was a Mexican painter whose work continues to fascinate and inspire many today. In order to understand why Frida Kahlo has been remembered as a legendary artist, it is necessary to understand her background, her accomplishments, and the impact her contributions…show more content…
Diego was roaring drunk and firing his revolver around the room, like he did at most parties (Souter 39). His ex-wife, Lupe, was present. In her raging jealousy, she began to fight with Frida, comparing her legs to canes and showing off her own which were much shapelier. Frida was absolutely livid, but Diego was perfectly entertained by the two women fighting over him. This angered Frida even more. In fact, she did not move in with him for several days. The wedding and its aftermath served as a microcosm of the rest of their lives together (Souter 40). Their marriage was incredibly tumultuous with many affairs on both ends. Frida had affairs with important people, one being Soviet politician, Leon Trotsky. In the late 1930’s, he sought refuge in Mexico to escape a death sentence from Stalin. He spent a short time at Kahlo’s home, during which time the affair took place. He was later assassinated at another location in Mexico. Diego, on the other hand, had an affair with Frida’s own sister, Cristina. Frida and Diego were wildly jealous of eachother and their mutual infidelity only added to the trouble. Frida and Diego separated and divorced, but remarried in December of 1940, yet the troubled couple never let their relationship issues affect their political activism. Both continued to use their artistic talents to express their social…show more content…
Much of her work was not widely recognized until decades after her death (Shirey WC27). When her work was recognized, however, she became an artistic icon. Not only did she become an important part of Mexican culture, but also a huge part of art appreciation worldwide. As of 2014, Frida Kahlo is recognized as an important artist to evaluate in any art class. Of her 200 paintings, drawings, and sketches, over half were self-portraits, painted in the tints and hues of her pain. Her work has been displayed in many world-renowned museums such as: the Louvre, The Phoenix Art Museum, Tate Modern, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Albright–Knox Art Gallery, Pallant House Gallery, Walker Art Center, Philadelphia Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, New York Museum of Modern Art, and several more (Miranda and Souter). One observer says, “From one point of view Frida Kahlo’s art is painfully realistic in its subject matter, in its detail and feeling; from another point of view it is alive with vision and fantasy” (Shirey WC27). These attributes attracted people to her art from all over the world. Moreover, many books, essays, articles, and other literary works are written about her. This includes plays, screenplays, and even an opera! Hayden Herrera’s 1983 book, Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo opened the doors of her life to a broader audience (Miranda). A musical play called Tree of

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