I tried to drown my sorrows but the bastards learned how to swim, and now I am overwhelmed by this descent and good feeling.
Many artists have drawn inspiration from nature, beauty, myth, still-life and also some have become great by painting on canvas unrequited love. What can be more painful than love not returned leaving one in misery, turmoil and frailty and HOPE only becomes the curse.
One such painter was Frida Kahlo of Mexican descent whose paintings had showed largely the dark parts of her life engorged with memories of paint yet unflinching determination in a more mystical and surrealist fashion. She was born to a german father and a Mestiza mother and although she was disabled by Polio as a child, she had been a promising student wanting to be a doctor until she suffered an accident at the age of 18. Her interest in politics led her to join the Mexican Communist Part in 1984 through which she met fellow Mexican artist Diego Rivera. After her marriage with Diego she developed her artistic style drawing her inspiration mainly from Mexican folk culture.
She made her first significant sale when a film star and art collector Edward G Robinson purchased four paintings at $200 each. Even greater recognition followed when french Surrealist Andre Breton visited Rivera and described her work as a ribbon around a bomb. The Louvre purchased a painting from Kahlo, 'The Frame', making her the first Mexican artist to be featured in their collection. The relationship between Diego and Frida was a messy one. They had fights and extramarital affairs. It is said Kahlo had extramarital affairs only to take revenge on Rivera. Their tumultuous relationship led to their divorce yet they re-married again a year later.
'The Broken Column': This painting was painted in 1944 shortly after she had a spinal surgery to correct ongoing problems which had resulted from a traffic accident. The painting symbolizes her isolation paint and suffering. An ionic column replaces her spine. Her face is unflinching and tears course down her cheeks and nails are piercing her face and body and the metal corset holds her broken body.
'Diego in my thoughts': This painting was painted in 1940 when she and Diego Rivera divorced. This painting Frida's desire to possess Rivera who continues betraying her with his affairs with other women. She painted a miniature painting of him on the brow.
'The two Fridas': It is a double self portrait depicting two versions of Kahlo seated together, one wearing a white European style Victorian dress while the other is wearing a Tehuana dress. An interpretation of it is that the Tehuana Frida was adored by husband Diego while the European Frida was the one rejected by him. The work alludes to Kahlo's life of constant pain.