"The Two Fridas" is just as I remember from my first exposure to it back in the mid 1970s. This is her largest work, painted in 1939, and occupying a place of honor in the exhibition: two gigantic Fridas sitting against an El Greco sky, holding hands and sharing a bloodline. One is a Mexican Frida in her Tehuana dress; the other Frida is bloodied, and the dripping vein paints small red flowers on her white dress, perhaps a contemporary European wedding dress of the times.
I hope this exhibition will kindle new interest not only from her legions of fans, but also from art scholars and researchers, as there are still many holes and gaps that need to be identified and expanded in this amazing life. Kahlo's influence on contemporary art also needs serious examination by art scholars and researchers. Kahlo's obsession with her own image has been reflected in the work of many important contemporary artists and photographers who use their body and image as the canvas for their work.
Even as Fridamania continues to expand and her images commodified into Chinese-made Mexican souvenirs of all kinds, Frida Kahlo is a major 20th century artist, perhaps even eclipsing her husband's place in art history. Like Picasso, Kahlo refused to be labeled and refused to produce one style or genre of work. “God is really only another artist," once said Picasso. "He invented the giraffe, the elephant, and the ant. He has no real style. He just goes on trying other things."
I suspect that as we discover more and more about Kahlo and her work, Kahlo will continue to evolve and reinvent herself in our eyes.
Frida Kahlo is at the PMA through May 18, 2008.
Article comments
1 - Jim Whalen
lennie---what month in '75 did you hitch a ride on SARA ?? What division ?? jim
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2 - Juliann Mitchell
Mr. Campello, a wonderful,informative, well- written piece on Kahlo. Sharing your own personal experiences made for a great read. I planned to see the exhibit next month but after reading your article I will be going this weekend. I recently purchased her diary and have found it fascinating, especially her artwork. Thank you.
3 - Terence Clarke
Hello Lennie:
Thank you for your piece on Frida Kahlo. I too am a Frida and Diego fan, and I especially appreciate your mention of Hayden Herrera's biography of Frida. I've seldom read a serious biography that was so much of a page-turner. Excellent research, fine writing and a real look into the soul of a very fine artist.
I too am a BC writer, by the way, and I hope you'll look at some of my pieces on the graphic arts.
Warm regards,
Terence Clarke
4 - Richard Marcus
Mr Campello
Thank you for the tour through the Frida exhibt in Philly - it looks stunning. I'm amazed at the number of paintings that I was completly unfamiliar with; the still life's and the minatures look like they are worth poring over for ages.
Do you happen to know if the gallery has produced a catalogue of the show that and if it's for sale? For those of us unable to see the show - and I doubt if it will be coming to Canada at any time in the near future - it would be a valuable addition to a collection.
My wife and I recently purchased a new edition of her journals that has just been published, and I was struck again by the emotional honesty of her work. She's able to comment on her personal pain without appearing self-indulgent. Making it a universal statement on what's it's like to suffer so that others can identify, and feel like somebody understands what they are going through.
I speak from personal experience as I too suffer from acute chronic pain - I know in attempting to write about it, how thin the line between self-pity and explanation is, and I've always looked to Frida's work for guidance.
Thank you again for this piece - it's the next best thing to being there.
cheers
Richard Marcus