From a young girl who once suffered from polio, to one of Mexico's most famous artists. She has a gift for expressing her emotions and view of her life in a special way in her artworks. This, along with her strong feminist character, makes her an iconic artist to remember. Learn more about Frida Kahlo 's paintings and her life in this blog!
The Life of Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo grew up in the village of Coyoacan on the outskirts of Mexico City. She spent much of her life in her childhood home called La Casa Azul (The Blue House). Today, her blue house has been transformed into the Frida Kahlo Museum.
Much of Frida's life was filled with pain and suffering, which is often the theme of her paintings . Frida contracted polio when she was only six years old. Despite her disability, she still dreamed of becoming a doctor. However, this dream fell apart when she had a terrible bus accident: Frida was seriously injured and mainly could only lie in bed to recover. Although Frida Kahlo never really thought of painting as a career, she turned to art during her recovery as a distraction from the pain. She discovered that art is a way to express her emotions and her view of the world.
Many of Frida Kahlo's paintings were self-portraits or paintings of her sisters and friends. A few years after the accident, she met Diego Rivera, also an artist and her future husband. The couple moved to San Francisco, California, and both her relationship and the new environment influenced Frida's artistic style. While her art is often described as surreal - an art movement that emphasizes the "subconscious mind" - Frida said this is not the case. She did not paint her dreams, but she painted her view of the world and her own life.
“They thought I was a Surrealist, but I wasn't. I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality.”
Frida's style was influenced by Mexican folk art. This is reflected in the bold and vibrant colors in her paintings . Despite many paintings being of her self-portraits , her art showed many experiences from her life. In some portraits she expresses her pain from her injuries and disability, in other paintings her grief from the shaky relationship with Diego.
Symbolic meaning behind Frida Kahlo paintings
After bouts of depression and miscarriages, Frida gave herself up to the pets around her. She liked to use animals in her artwork : her paintings eventually featured monkeys, hummingbirds, butterflies, dogs and cats.
One of her self-portraits shows her with three spider monkeys. The monkeys became protective and fine symbols for Kahlo, but Mexican mythology suggests that monkeys are actually symbols of lust, which may refer to Diego's adultery! The other animals in her paintings also have a meaning: the hummingbird symbolizes hope and happiness in Mexican culture. Butterflies symbolize resurrection, which may refer to Frida's rebirth into life after her accident.
Frida Kahlo paintings
 |
In our portraits collection you can find paintings of various celebrities, including Frida Kahlo ! The paintings in the portraits collection are made by means of flat design. This is a big trend in the graphic design industry today, using simple, two-dimensional elements and bright colors. If you are looking for a unique Frida Kahlo painting and , then this is for you! |
Are you inspired?
Do you also feel so inspired by the special story and the power of Frida Kahlo ? Perhaps a beautiful portrait of the artist is perfect for you: a reminder that no matter what happens, you should always keep going and surround yourself with positivity. Shop here a Frida Kahlo paintings !