Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo was a half-mexican, half-hungarian painter of the 20th century born Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y CalderÐ"Ñ-n in CoyoacÐ"ÐŽn, Mexico City on July 6, 1907. During her short lived life, she had many accomplishments. She was a surrealist artist whos paintings reflected her thoughts and feelings. Her creative style was always amazing but confusing. Unfortunately, she lived most of her artistic life in the shadow of her husband, Diego Rivera, and her work was not truly recognized until after her death.

Frida Kahlo was a bright young woman who had no intentions of being a famous artist. At first, she studied medicine at the national preparatory school with dreams of becoming a famous doctor. Tragically on September 17,1925 on her way home from school, she was involved in a bus accident that seriously affected her life. Frida was found by her then boyfriend Alejandro GÐ"Ñ-mez Arias with a section of the hand rail pierced deeply in her body. Doctors believed that there was no chance of saving her life and they "tended to other less seriously injured victims". However GÐ"Ñ-mez begged for them to help his girlfriend until she was finally rushed to emergency surgery. Still, no one had faith that she would survive. Once she awoke form her coma, she found herself in a full body cast only showing her head. She felt the excruciating pain in her stomach, as well as the pain she felt from her fractured pelvis, dislocated shoulder, and fractured spine. Despite all the pain, she only thought of her sweetheart who had not come to visit her since the day of the accident.

When Frida was finally able to move one of her arms, she began to write letters to her boyfriend about the pain she felt, and how she missed him. She begged for him to return, but to her dismay, he wouldn’t even return one of her letters.

Heartbroken and suffering, in the summer of 1926 she had a serious relapse. This is when she began painting. Bored with nothing to do, she begged her father to use his paints. She had never studied art, but was able to teach herself to paint by studying paintings of the Italian Renaissance. She painted for her visitors and relatives who were willing to pose for her, and eventually wound up giving her paintings away as gifts.

Frida Kahlo was married to the famous Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. While married to Rivera, Frida gave up painting. She loved Diego Rivera very much and wanted to be important to him. Frida knew that his murals were the number one in his life. Once she saw the reality that she would always come after Diego’s art, she became obsessed with trying to be number one, and devoted her life to being with him.

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's relationship did not start off immediately with love. Frida, happy with her new art talents, came to Rivera wanting his opinion on her artwork. Frida even told Rivera. "I have not come to flirt, and even if you are a woman chaser,I have come to show you my paintings." Diego was shocked and curious to know the confident young women who spoke to him in such a way.

Rivera and Kahlo's relationship had begun with art, and continued to grow with art. Frida produced more paintings during their marriage than ever. Frida followed Rivera, experimenting with murals as well. However, Diego Rivera continued to encourage Frida, telling her that it would be best if she created her own style of painting. By his encouragement she formed her own ideas and techniques apart from her husbands.

However, when Diego Rivera had begun to paint his murals, Frida saw less and less of him each day. She again became lonely, waiting for Diego to finish his projects. But when Diego had finished one project, he was soon beginning another, and little time for Frida

Soon rumors began to fly of Diego having an affair with one of his assistants. However, Frida walked around saying it didn’t bother her. She said that she would live her own life, while he would live his. But deep in her heart she worried, and later stated:

"I have suffered two grave accidents in my life, one in which a street car ran me over; the other accident is Diego."

Frida began to express her feelings and emotions through her paintings. Her pain and unhappiness could be seen in her bloody portraits and her paintings scared the world.

Frida Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera went to the United States when Diego became tired of being nagged in his homeland, Mexico. While in America Diego was the center of attention. However Frida was disgusted by American customs, and did not enjoy the American lifestyle. In America Frida stood in the shadows of Diego because she was only viewed as his wife.

Many Americans thought Frida was an interesting woman to go see because she dressed differently

...