Saturday, December 29, 2012

A Gifted Artist And Tortured Person: Frida Kahlo

I have been studying a book on the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, the book is called "Frida Kahlo Face to Face".

Frida was involved in a terrible bus accident as a young woman and underwent over 30 operations during her lifetime, she was in constant pain. She also had long relationship (and 2 marriages) to the artist Diego Rivera who chased women constantly, causing Frida additional heartache.

I found the work below especially troubling and strong, it was made by Frida after Diego had an affair with Frida's beloved sister Cristina. The painting is called "A Few Small Nips", it is also partly inspired by a news story of the day of a killing of a woman where the male defendant claimed, "I only gave her a few small nips."

The hat worn by the man in the Frida's painting is similar to one Diego Rivera owned and wore often.