Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Welcome to Fridaland


This week I started a class on Frida Kahlo. It's taught by my friend Roslye as part of the U of MN compleat scholar program. Perfect timing since it also coincides with the Walker exhibition that is opening on Friday. Frida's exhibit is the most expensive exhibit they've had ever - even more than the latest Picassos.


Frida painted her reality. She doeosn't call it fantasy - she literally paints her reality. One fact I didn't know was that she changed her birth year to 1910 - the same year as the Mexican Revolution because she identified so strongly with it (she was actually born in 1907 and died in 1954 at the age of 47). Her dream was to become a medical doctor - which gives some insight into her paintings. She was an 'untrained' artist; her father was a photographer. She was at times adrogonous, bisexual, met Georgia O'Keeffe in the 30's at the New York gallery scene, and also loved to write poetry and love letters to her husband Diego Rivera. She lived an authentic life - ironic, funny, rebellious. I love this photo of her - she is winking at me, reminding me to always be true to myself in the way I live my life, in my art.

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