The Life of Frida Kahlo

A Real Look at a Legendary Artist

Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón better known to the world as Frida Kahlo was born on July 6, 1907 in Coyoacán, Mexico. Her father was German, and her mother was Mexican. At 6 years old, she contracted polio. The disease left her right leg thinner than her left. This would be her inspiration for her self-portrait "Las apariencias engañan" / after effect "Appearances can be deceiving."

At 18, she was injured in a bus accident, which left her bed-ridden with fractures to the spine and pelvis. This accident forced Frida Kahlo to spend a lot of time in bed, and this, let’s say, was the beginning of a great artistic career but also the start of the deterioration of her body. This was the period during which she began painting. At 22, she married the famous muralist Diego Rivera. They had met 3 years before, while Rivera was working on a mural at the National Preparatory High School. At 23, she began traveling with Rivera to cities like San Francisco, New York and Detroit.

The couple had a turbulent relationship until her death, which included Rivera’s infidelity with Kahlo’s sister. In 1937, Kahlo and Rivera welcomed Russian leader Leon Trotsky into their home. It was rumored that Trotsky and Kahlo had an affair during this time. In 1938, she had her first exhibition in New York, where she sold 25 of her pieces. One year later, she moved to Paris, where she became friend with Marcel Duchamp/ Pablo Picasso.

During this time, she adopted the famous Tehuana costume as her uniform. It was not until 1953 that she had her first exhibition in Mexico. On this occasion, she received her guests from a bed in the middle of the gallery. This scene was later replicated in the film Frida, in which the artist was played by Salma Hayek, who was Oscar-nominated for the role.

She died in 1954, at the age of 47, at home in Coyoacán. her home is the Museo Frida Kahlo - La Casa Azul where objects, paintings, letters, clothes belonging to the artist are exhibited. Since her death, Frida Kahlo's image has been commercialized, featuring on dolls, clothes, shoes, without authorization from her family. Frida Kahlo is not a product. Frida Kahlo is not a brand. Frida Kahlo is an artist. This is Frida Kahlo, the greatest Mexican artist of all time.

Brut.