Jessica Finkel and her friend dressed up as Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera for Halloween. I think they make a stunning couple! Jessica is actually dressed as Diego. Here's what Jessica had to say about Frida: "I went to a bilingual elementary school where I learned Spanish and English. My school used art a lot in their curriculum. Therefore, we learned about Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, and though it has been a long time, I still remember some facts about Frida Kahlo. I know she was famous for her self-portraits and that she was very much influenced by her husband Diego Rivera, and also Mexican culture post-Revolution. She tried to incorporate Mexico's culture into her paintings. I think she also had polio or some kind of disability that affected her spine and legs, which is why she wore big, long skirts, to conceal that." Thank you Jessica for allowing me to reproduce this photograph and your comments.
3 Comments
JJ
11/8/2014 08:18:34 am
Great Halloween costumes!
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Emily S.
11/12/2014 10:02:40 am
Growing up, my mother was a big fan of Frida Kahlo's work, so I have known about her most of my life. Though I don't know most details, when she specifically was in America, where she traveled, etc., I do know some major details. I know how the accident from when she was a teenager left her in pain (and eventually disabled) for the rest of her life and inspired much of her artwork, particularly her self portraits. I also know that by the end of her life this left her bedridden, so a lot of her work was done under the constraints of her bedroom. I also know a large influence on her work was her seemingly turbulent relationship with Diego Rivera, the effects of which can also be seen in her artwork. I think post people, even if they don't know about her story or her art, have heard her name or seen her art before. At least, they have probably seen some rendition of a self portrait of hers. My favorite thing about her is her self portraits because she uses herself and her own experiences and feelings as a way to express art. I think that using one's self as a subject makes the art more personal, and her use of symbolism is particularly extraordinary.
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Lyudmyla Kodash
11/17/2014 09:22:31 am
I liked to go to the Borders and read some books in there.
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Celia Stahr teaches art history at the University of San Francisco. She’s interested in women artists and artists who cross cultural boundaries. She fell in love with the power of Frida Kahlo's art in the 1980s, a feeling that has intensified over the years. Frida in America took 10 years to research and write, but Stahr never lost interest in this fascinating woman and artist.
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