Women in the Arts: Frida Kahlo

In honor of Women’s History Month, every issue in the month of March will feature an important woman in the arts.

This week is the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

Kahlo is remembered for her self portraits, her works depicting pain and passion, and for her use of bold and vibrant colors. In Mexico, she is celebrated for bringing attention to Mexican and indigenous culture. She is also celebrated by feminists for her works portraying femininity.

As a child, Kahlo suffered from polio, and was almost killed in a severe bus accident in her teens. During recovery from her bus accident, Kahlo focused on painting while in a body cast. Throughout her lifetime, Kahlo underwent 30 surgical operations.

A common theme in her paintings was life experience. The emotional and physical pain Kahlo suffered during her life from the accident and surgeries but also from her strenuous relationship with her husband, Diego Rivera are depicted on canvas in more than 200 of her paintings and sketches.

Below are some examples of her art.