“Los Das Kahlo”, an oil on canvas painting that was completed in 1939, measures 173x173cm. It’s currently located at Mexico’s Museum of Modern Art. We first see the double self-portrait of Fridas, which shows them sitting on a bench. Both Fridas are linked by their hearts which can be seen through their clothing. Both Fridas are also connected by their hearts via their arteries. Both Fridas are wearing different clothes styles. The European Frida shows her white dress stained by blood from a cut artery. The Mexican Frida displays her complete heart. The duality of Frida can be seen in the paintings. Composition: Frida uses linear perspective. The vanishing point is set in the unions of the palms from each Fridas. This makes the middle of the painting the ambivalence anyone can have. The stark comparison between the stormy, closed sky and the earth burning makes it clear that there is a duality between existence and death. This is evident in the immense contrast that exists in the sky and earth. The “two Fridas” are all about duality. Historical context: This particular piece was painted in 1939. This is an important year in Mexican history. Lazaro Carenas was elected president of Mexico. He had sympathized since the Civil War began. His government also supported the republic and sought to rescue the French camps and all those who had opposed the dictatorial Spanish ruler. 25% of the exiles are intellectuals. Mexico was the birthplace of Spain. They created this area so that they could keep their art and studies away from hostile surroundings. This marked a major improvement in culture, education, science, and technology within Mexico. Mexican art looked for a national identity, and after the 1919 revolution, a movement called muralism was created. They took the murals and instructed the story of a new Mexico. It embraced the past’s traditions and folklore. Frida shares her personal experiences through her art. It is the present she is living, how it is translated and how it affects others. She paints after her divorce. See “Las dos Fridas” (1939). Surrealists do away with the need to duplicate truth and instead capture the reality. Frida interprets her own desires, or in Frida’s personal studies. It is amazing that she can create such beautiful paintings. Frida’s approach is different than the surrealists. She doesn’t try to capture her thoughts or liberate her unconscious. Instead she uses surrealism to convey her struggles. Frida, for example, uses the collage when placing hearts in the chests of both Fridas. It makes them appear superimposed. Frida Kahlo was trying to communicate or alternatively express her deep pain due to a complex relationship that ended. You can also see a woman who once was in love and has a strong heart. She holds in her right hand a miniature portrait of her husband and is wearing the favorite dress she wore. This indicates that they are united by a vein.

dylanwest

Dylan West is a 33-year-old education blogger and traveler. He has a degree in education from the University of Texas and has been blogging about education since 2009.