Artist
Frida Kahlo
1907–1954 · Mexican
Frida Kahlo began painting seriously while recovering from a devastating bus accident in 1925. Working at an intimate scale, she turned self-portraiture into a vehicle for examining the body, identity, pain, marriage, politics and Mexican cultural history. Her relationship with Diego Rivera connected her to the international avant-garde, but her paintings remained distinct from the monumental public language of Mexican muralism. Though André Breton claimed her for Surrealism, Kahlo repeatedly insisted that she painted her own reality rather than dreams.
Painting; drawing
Major Works
- 1939The Two Fridas →Oil on canvasMuseo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City
- 1940Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird →Oil on canvasHarry Ransom Center
- 1932Henry Ford Hospital →Oil on metalMuseo Dolores Olmedo collection
- 1944The Broken Column →Oil on masoniteMuseo Dolores Olmedo collection
- 1932Self-Portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States →Oil on metal
- 1936My Grandparents, My Parents, and I (Family Tree) →Oil and tempera on zincMoMA
- 1938What the Water Gave Me →Oil on canvasPrivate collection / research
- 1946The Wounded Deer →Oil on masonite
- 1946Tree of Hope, Remain Strong →Oil on masonitePrivate collection / research
- 1940Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair →Oil on canvasMoMA
Museums
Related Artists
Selected Exhibitions
- 1938 Julien Levy Gallery, New YorkMajor exhibition / biennial / historical milestonegroup
- 1939 Renou & Colle, ParisMajor exhibition / biennial / historical milestonegroup
- 1953 Lola Álvarez Bravo Gallery, Mexico CityMajor exhibition / biennial / historical milestonegroup
- numerous major posthumous retrospectivesMajor exhibition / biennial / historical milestonegroup
Interviews & Writing
- Museum-quality video search →RESEARCH QUEUEvideo