Frida KГЎhlo, the famous Mexican artist, painted Las Dos Fridas. Frida is shown holding hands with her Mexican and white backgrounds, and connected by an oil vein. Kahlo was honest in her art and people still love it to this day. Frida Kashlo pours all of her emotions into Las Dos Fridas. This is how she turned the turmoil in her life with her love and cultural identity into an oil painting. Kahlo used a mixture of formal elements as well as composition to convey the meaning of her painting. As you can see, the Fridas are seated straight up. This could be interpreted as vertical lines. Vertical lines suggest that Frida longed for Diego Rivera. The native Frida is wearing cool and warm colors, such as yellow or blue. This makes her look vibrant. While the Caucasian Frida prefers neutral colors such cream and white, she wears brighter colors. The background is made up of the colours black, grey, white and an earthy one. Kahlo adds volume to both figures by using lighting techniques. This gives the Fridas a more 3-dimensional appearance. Mexican painter Kahlo uses linear perspective to create her paintings. The vanishing points are the union of their fingers. Kahlo’s struggle with dual heritage and the Two Fridas are her internal struggles. An artery connects her hearts together. It also links the two cultures. Her different attire includes a Tehuana traditional dress and a European Lace dress. The icons of hearts, which are a common indigenous symbol, might also symbolize her resilience to mental and bodily pains as both an Indigenous woman and a European. The European counter-part of her cuts the blood vessel in that painting. It could be a reminder not only of her many abortions and other experiences, but also of the death and eventual deny of her European roots. Her indigenous self seems heartbroken. This painting was done shortly after her divorce. Kahlo, saddened by Rivera’s small painting, looks up at her western self. This show of solidarity is an expression of her unconditional acceptance of her dual heritage. It may also be a way to acknowledge the irreparable damage imperial influences have done to her country despite her nationalistic beliefs. Kahlo based most of her artwork on her personal life experiences. Her art is more obsterical rather than artistic, according to those who critique it. Frida Kahlo painted Las Dos Fridas after Diego Rivera’s divorce. Kahlo described Rivera as “her other accidental” due to their turbulent relationship. The artist depicts her cultural identities in different ways, as stated previously. The Caucasian Frida is elegant in her fancy dress and perfect posture. This Frida was a model of what a woman should look like in society. To her right, the indigenous Frida is in touch to her Mexican roots. With her legs extended, she sits with her back straightening. Frida is a free-spirited Frida who doesn’t care about society. The image of Diego Rivera, the native Frida’s lover, is found in his hand. A vein connects his picture to her heart. The vein that runs through her bicep connects to her own heart. This could indicate that the indigenous Frida is a strong woman who wears her heart on her sleeves or that she loves Diego as a muscle. The Caucasian Frida’s hollow heart indicates she is heartbroken, while the indigenous Frida’s full heart is filled with love for her husband. Fridas appear to be bleed through one of their veins. Caucasian Frida clamps down the vein with her tool to stop them both from bleeding. This painting represents union. The Fridas have sworn to each other because Kahlo managed to find a way that would not only bring balance to their lives, but also not let them go through heartbreak. Frida KГЎlo is an internationally recognized surrealist artist. Las Dos Fridas depicts the early days of Surrealism. Kahlo wasn’t a fan of Las Dos Fridas as a surrealist piece, but her artwork was largely surrealist. Kahlo saw the world through her paintings. She put her subconscious thoughts on canvas. Frida’s paintings were a clear indication of her emotional connection. She continued to create paintings despite her disability. She found a canvas to express herself on. Kahlo is able to paint her inner struggle with love and cultural identity in Las Dos Fridas. Kahlo’s honesty and her work continue to win people over.
Cites
Aragon, A. (2014). Uninhabited dresses: Frida KAHLO, Fashion Muse and Icon of Mexico. Fashion Theory published an article in its 18th volume, fifth issue, discussing topics such as clothing and style, ranging from 517 to 549.
Courtney, C., O’Hearn, M., & Franck, C. (2017). Frida Kallo: Portrait of Chronic pain. Physical Therapy journal published a study in its 97th volume which found that 90 percent of participants had positive outcomes.
Pinto, C. (2005). Frida Kahlo. BMJ, 331(7511), 297-297.
