Arts & Culture

I remember walking through an art gallery with my grandmother when I was a boy. She didn't stop in many rooms and she didn't look at all the paintings.  When I asked her why she said "if I don't recognize the artist or the painting then they're not important." 

I like to think my grandmother would have recognized Frida Kahlo's self portraits and thought them important enough to stop and look.

I've visited the Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera show at the AGO three times. I strongly recommend the exhibit as it's unusual to see their paintings outside of Mexico (most are at the Museo Dolores Olmedo Patino or the Gelman Collection in Cuernavaca).  Although I'm familiar with her self portraits and his style of murals I've never seen one in person before. I am old and a bit privileged – by choice and design I've travelled and visited many museums and art galleries – I've read about art – did some studying at school …but it's different to see a piece of art in person. Use this opportunity to see iconic paintings and photographs you may not see again. 

Frida Kahlo had and continues to have a very strong (marketable) brand. Ask yourself how many times you've seen these images and how instantly identifiable she is (both personally and artistically). I believe this was a deliberate and conscious act on Kahlo's part. Her brand can be seen in her paintings but also the many photographic portraits of her (although some are likely touched up).  The heavy eyebrows, the faint but distinct mustache, the direct gaze, distinctive hair styles, jewelry, traditional Mexican clothing, pet dogs and monkey – they all contribute to her image. 

The question of brand really becomes apparen't when you see the store at the end of the exhibit – wow – there's a lot of marketing going on. The socks with her face seem a bit OTT – but I did covet the t-shirts with the Rivera quotation "Art is a weapon".  I also enjoyed the Judy Chicago book on Frida Kahlo – great illustration – lush velvet cover – and some interesting commentary by Judy Chicago.

I suspect some of her popularity in the last 30 years parallels the rise of the women's and feminist movement. Women artists have become better known and appreciated of late. I've read that Rivera was considered the most famous Mexican artist in his lifetime – now Kahlo surpasses him in influence. There is a recognition that she both created and controlled her own image – if not her emotional life. 

Although deeply in love there is a tragic quality to Kahlo and Rivera's relationship and the pain they caused each other.  There is enormous vulnerability and honesty in the way Kahlo shared her experience of love, betrayal, hurt and loss through her art. This is most clearly seen in the small (almost surreal) work called Henry Ford Hospital / Flying Bed  painted soon after the miscarriage of their child in the early 30s in Detroit where Rivera was painting large murals at the Detroit Art Gallery. Or the painting "Self-Portrait as a Tehuana -Diego on my Mind" which she began when they divorced and evolved to include Diego after they remarried. The color and black and white video of them together at the show is heart wrenching and illuminating.

I don't want to speak for or appropriate her voice – so here are some of her writings:

I saw many kids at the exhibit with paren'ts or grandparen'ts. The altar at the end of the show was interactive and child friendly.  If you want to explore some of the artistic themes with children why not try:

Such is her fame and draw that recently a new exhibit of her clothes opened at her home La Casa Azul, which had been locked in storage since her death in 1954.

In terms of Diego Rivera I have to say for a large scale muralist he does monumental works on the smaller scale very nicely.  According to some of the explanatory text at the show murals were considered art of the people and were a popular, funded and in fact sanctioned part of the Mexican art and political establishement.  Although I would say this is not unique to Mexico – the USA saw large scale murals throughout the 1930s funded by the WPA. His mural paintings are extensively written about.  I was struck by how long folks at the show watched the video of the Detroit murals – and the candid photos of the work being painted.

I was struck at the end of the show by his portrait of Natasha Gelman – lush, sensual, large scale and completely of its time – a complimentary image.  And beside it a small scale Kahlo portrait of the same sitter – a bit harder – possibly a bit more realistic (with a wonderfully painted faux tile frame).

I also liked how the show tried to balance their personal relationship and their individual art but at the same time placed the art (especially his) in the political mileau of the times. Did you know that Leon Trotsky and his wife lived at Frida Kahlo's house, Casa Azul for two years !

On my last visit I went to the AGO with my niece Thalia. After the show we had Mexican spiced hot chocolate.  Re-energized we went on to see the Josef Sudek show – which I also recommend – although in many ways it's a much more subtle experience.