From Astrid Michelow 

SHOWCOOK’S

 

Frida Kahlo, the celebrated Mexican artist, made many
waves during her eventful and dramatic life. "Seeing her
art was a thrilling experience," said Astrid Michelow
who saw Frida Kahlo’s retrospective exhibition,
 which took place at the Tate Modern Gallery 2005
and reported back in her London Letter. 

  

(Top) FRIDA KAHLO, Self-Portrait with Monkey (1938) Oil on Masonite 406- 305 mm Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo NY Bequest of A. Conger Goodyear, 1966 © Banco de México and INBAL Mexico, 2005

 

Frida Kahlo is regarded as one of the most significant artists of the twentieth century. Her tragic personal life and struggle has been the subject of numerous biographies and a major film entitled ‘Frida’. Public interest in her life it is said has threatened to eclipse a more serious consideration of her artistic achievements and this exhibition more than amply demonstrates her artistic qualities and abilities.

 

 

(Left) FRIEDA KAHLO AND DIEGO RIVERA (1931), Oil on Canvas, 1000 x 790 mm San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Albert M Bender Collection, 
Gift of Albert M Bender © Banco de México and INBAL Mexico, 2005

(Right) THE TWO FRIDAS (1939) Oil on Canvas, 1735 X 1 730 mm 
Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City © Banco de México and INBAL Mexico, 2005

 

Kahlo began painting in her late teens after a serious traffic accident in which she was impaled by a handrail on a bus. She sustained multiple injuries to her spine and internal organs and was incarcerated in a plaster cast for nine months. For the rest of her life she was dogged by unremitting pain, but nevertheless managed to explore and chronicle her own self portraiture and that of her native Mexico, which she loved. 

 

Lashings of surrealism, cubism and Mexican
delving back into time with Aztec iconography.

 

Her work also demonstrates an analysis of the powerful political and economic forces which were present at the time. However, throughout her works there is evidence of life and death themes and the use of Aztec thought and symbols. Also included are some of her still life representations which are interesting and sensual. Her later works demonstrate that she was influenced by Eastern Religions and the nature of creation itself.

 

 After her death Frida’s disturbing work plunged into
 obscurity it took the publication of her riveting
biography to ignite public interest and prices soared. 

 

Kahlo’s life it would seem, was packed with incidents and her turbulent marriage to Diego Rivera, one of Mexico’s celebrated artists, who was famed for his politically motivated murals, had a strong influence on her early works. The Bus 1929 made the year she married Diego satirises class divisions of Mexican Society. A life long communist sympathiser, it said that Kahlo gave shelter to the exiled Leon Trotsky, who was also her lover. 

 

Her personal style was immense and has
remained fascinating and timeless; Mexican,
Indian, colourful, vivid and dramatic. Hair
sleeked back, twisted and ribboned, a style
that is as modern today as it was inspired then. 

 

This has been a most thrilling and worthwhile exhibition and is made even more meaningful by the use of the unique hi tech multi media hand held computer and audio guide. This new technology, sponsored by HSBC Bank has been created for the exhibition and allows visitors access to a lively mix of archive footage of Frida Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera, plus contextual images, audio commentary and music. Comment from curators including Kahlo’s niece Isolda are of an extremely high standard and should not be missed. One can zoom in on details and discover Kahlo through her own words and images.