Analysis of the Effects the Tragedies and Illnesses of Frida Kahlo Had on her Artwork Side: 1 of 1

                                
Analysis

of the

Frida

Effects

Kahlo

the

Had

Trag

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Alexandria Godwin, Department
College of Public Affairs and Community

Faculty Mentor: David HartaDp
College of Public Affar n

Frida Kahlo experienced more tragedies by the age of twenty-five than
many of us will ever experience. The terrible bus accident she was
involved in created a web of illnesses and unhappiness that would define
her entire life and cause her health to spiral downward. These tragedies
surfaced in her work and proved to be a huge influence. She showed her
true feelings and views of herself through her pieces. Each piece is unique
to the period of her life and what she was suffering at the time.

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*According to Herrera (47-61) in Frida: A Biography ofFrida Kahlo, "Cha
on the afternoon of September 17, 1925, in Mexico City, Frida was on a trol
wooden bus.
*Her resulting injuries included a spinal column being broken in three place
broken ribs, eleven fractures to her right leg, a left shoulder jolted out ofjoi
places, and a steel rod that literally skewed her body at the level of the abdo
coming out through the vagina. As a result of these injuries, Frida would ha'
over the span of her remaining life.
One year later, in the late summer of 1926, after her recovery, Frida painte
lover, Alejandro. In this first self-portrait, Frida depicted herself in a dark, n
romantic wine-red, velvet dress. She painted herself to look beautiful, vibrai
her right hand, as if to request the forgiveness of Alejandro from a dispute ti
Self-Portraits
In Devouring Frida: The Art History and Popular Celebrity ofFrida Kahl
Paint Brush," Linauer (54-85) analyzed three self-portraits:
(1) The Little Deer (1946) represents her resistance to gender dichotomy
body of a male deer with antlers and testicles, yet wearing a dainty, femi
bisexual hybrid. This metaphorically represents "symptom" and "punish
arrows puncturing the deer's body..
(2) Tree of Hope ( 1946) depicts two sides of herself, one being a mangle
torso exposed with a thick slash, and one strong, healthy version sitting (
patient. After this highly devastating surgery, Frida attended therapy. Thi
illustrating how mental health would be inscribed on the physical body a
prognosis for her psychological recovery.
(3) Self-Portrait with the Portrait of Doctor Farill (1951). Unlike her pr(
painting portrays her without sexuality. She appears to have accepted the
longer planning on continuing in her rebellious ways. The blood-coverec
heart-palette are thought to represent the therapeutic aspects of painting.
deeper hidden message. While she intended for it to be a statement of res
one takes a closer look, it could actually represent the very restrained, as
*As stated in Imaging Her Selves: Frida Kahlos Politics oflIdentity & Frag
the time Frida produced Remembrance of an Open Wound (1938), she had t
and had the trophic ulcer removed. The self-exposure reveals two wounds,(
symbolic. The bandaged foot represents a wounded foot while the bleeding
inner thigh evokes a vaginal association. This represents not only a physical
remembrance of an unhealing wound from the past, likely referring to the si
vagina.
The Broken Column (1944): Frida was experiencing a flare-up of her accid
deterioration. In this piece, she depicts herself with a brutal vertical fracture
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ABSTRACT

LITERATURE REVIEW

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