\”I paint my own reality.
The only thing I know is that I
paint because I need to and
I paint whatever passes through
my head without any other
consideration.\”
Hello my name is RMMW, welcome to my ‘Medium Blog Cement Covered Quills’. My first ‘Artist Feature Perspective’ subject will profile the awe-inspiring Frida Kahlo. A couple of years back; I absorbed in my essence all things Kahlo. This spirit, artist, woman was a remarkable chimera. Frida never kept secret the 2 great events that impacted her life from which she was never able to recover — the trolley and her beloved Diego Rivera.
Frida Kahlo — Diego & I 1949
Although, both Diego and Frida had numerous affairs in their usual eccentric fashion the fates: Clotho, Lachesis & Atropos always maintained a tight intertwined weave between the two regardless of their life stages. Anger and frustration would consume their relationship equal to their mutual compassion and adoration.
My obsession with Frida, lead me to cuddle-up on this large cozy brown corduroy couch with a copy of her personal journal “The Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self Portrait” Introduction by Carlos Fuentes and commentaries by Sarah M. Lowe sizzling my palms. To this very day, November 11, 2013, I am frozen, unable to read the entire contents of this precious book — the inner emotion of Frida’s essence, intensely intimate my spirit could only absorb her fire in baby doses.
Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera Kiss
Not a technical painter, which seriously does not matter when one considers her use of extremely lucid and vibrant colours — I say lucid and vibrant to make a point both similar words with varying meanings however evokes the profound impact of Frida’s work.
Born in a world where women were constantly denigrated as unintelligent beings. Frida consistently devoted her life to breaking boundaries, absorbing knowledge and in turn interpreting those subjects in her work. A myriad of issues are brought to ones attention when gazing upon Frida’s pieces over her life time; self-loathing, advocacy, sorrow and of course love and delight for herself, family and her environment.
Personally, I can’t imagine being 15 years of age, idiosyncratic, curious, overwrought eyes on the future with anticipation – then CRASH!
A severe accident breaking your back and still coming out the victor – tenacity is an understatement. A full basket of rapidly rotting cherries on their way to the trash transformed into cement-covered cherries. Frida could turn the darkest and ugliest of subjects into an incomparable piece of art. How did Frida do that? And, really not care about her surroundings and life effects. In her own words,
“I never paint dreams or nightmares.
I paint my own reality.\”
Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo — The Dream 1940
We are all creatures who house a plethora of human expression which range from; pain, bliss and sorrow to fight through a life of adversity — then, being told by your doctor to not leave your bed even on the night of her Art Show in her native Mexico City from April 13 – 27, 1953 at the Galeria de Arte Contemporáneo de Xalapa. A dream she has spent her entire life working towards. Frida’s reaction was to have her entire bed and her body adorning: rings, necklaces and of course, her wooden leg for balance and symmetry to be transported to the Galeria. Upon arrival to the exhibit, Frida was offered a shot of tequila and accolades of homage, commendation and applause.
Frida Kahlo — The 2 Frida\’s 1939
Frida had to be around in the early 1900`s — a fierce, strong woman to breed the path for all of us. She may never have received her wish to be a mother in the traditional sense of the word — however, please look upon her art and how Frida bread generations of artists who still admire, emulate and know her body of work.
Nickolas Muray, Photograph of Frida Kahlo taken for Mexican Vogue 1939
I feel EXTREMELY grateful to be one of her daughters!
‘Frida, from the bottom of my core — Que gran madre gracias!’
CCIQ Press 