September 2008Frida Kahlo at the San Francisco Museum of Modern ArtBy Emily Ruth HendersonBetter known as the wife of Mexican painter Diego Rivera during her lifetime, since her death Frida Kahlo has become revered as one of the modern art world’s most talented and brutally honest painters.Born in 1907 in the small town of Coyoacán outside Mexico City, Kahlo’s childhood was defined by the Mexican Revolution, which began in 1910. Kahlo entered a premedical program when she was 15, planning to become a doctor. But a near fatal bus accident in 1925 left her bedridden and encased in a body cast for more than a year. It was during this time that the artist in Kahlo emerged. Plagued with physical pain and frustrated with her immobilized state, Kahlo found a creative outlet and pass time in painting. She gave up medicine, and devoted herself to her artwork, seeking out the renowned Mexican painter, Diego Rivera, for advice on pursuing a career as an artist. As admirers of each other’s work and advocates of the Mexican Revolution, the pair fell in love and embarked on a life of turbulent passion, marrying in 1929, only to divorce in 1939 and remarry in 1940. Frida Kahlo at the SFMOMA brings together a large selection of Kahlo’s paintings and personal photographs from collections all over the world, some of which have never been seen by the public. Brutal self portraits depicting Kahlo’s miscarriage, Henry Ford Hospital, 1932, and broken back as a result of the bus accident, The Broken Column, 1944, are accompanied by many still-life paintings not usually associated with Kahlo. A fascinating exhibit element is the depiction of a tragic love story. Completed two years after their marriage, Frieda and Diego Rivera, 1931, shows Kahlo and Rivera standing side-by-side holding hands. The painting could be considered romantic; however unclasped hands and stares ahead hint at their already struggling relationship. The subtle knowing in the painting is contrasted by A Few Small Nips, 1935, painted after Kahlo discovered Rivera’s affair with her younger sister. It shows Rivera holding a knife, looming over a naked Kahlo on the bed, her body riddled with stab wounds. The exhibition presents 46 paintings and almost 100 photographs spanning Kahlo’s career from 1926 until her death in 1954. A self-guided multimedia tour can be rented for $3 providing enlightening audio and video commentary on the artwork, and free guided tours are offered daily. Children can also enjoy the atmosphere with a free family activity guide that introduces them to Kahlo’s art through questions and drawing exercises and an interactive station rounding off the exhibition. Injected with suffering, Kahlo’s paintings reveal her true self as she felt and saw it. Never afraid to let the world know how much pain it had caused her, the last entry in her diary reads: “I hope the exit is joyful – and I hope never to come back – Frida.” Show closes on September 28, tickets $5, advance purchase required. Information: www.sfmoma.org. |
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