FRIDA IN AMERICA
Named one of ten top arts books of 2020 by Booklist
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 ten years to research and write, but Stahr never lost interest in this fascinating woman and artist. If you're interested in hiring Celia Stahr for a speaking engagement about Frida Kahlo or other modern and contemporary artists, you can contact her at csstahr@usfca.edu. Connect on Instagram: @frida.in.america
I'm excited about a forthcoming Frida docuseries that will air in 2025. I was honored to be interviewed for this documentary that was created by a Mexican filmmaker. When the release date is scheduled and I can provide specific information, I'll let you know.
Becoming Frida Kahlo, a BBC three-part docuseries is airing on PBS throughout the U.S. on Tuesdays, 9/19, 9/26, 10/3. Episode Two, which airs on 9/26/2023 at 9:00 pm, is devoted to Frida's time in the U.S. I'm honored that my book inspired an entire episode and that I was interviewed for the docuseries. Here's a trailer I'm in for Episode 2: Becoming Frida Kahlo
Critic's Response to Frida in America:
Named One of Five Art Books to Start 2021 by Art New England
Named one of five books to look forward to in 2020 by Jaime Herndon at The Woolfer
Named one of the 7 BOOKS TO READ IN MARCH by Fortune
"It’s intriguing to encounter an artist in the act of becoming herself... Stahr’s chronicle of Kahlo’s breakthrough includes vivid descriptions of the scenes that inspired her." ―New York Times Book Review
"The focus is intense and razor-sharp in a significant new book, the first major biography in more than three decades....[Stahr] delves deep." ―Mercury News
"Celia Stahr illuminates how not only these events but also Kahlo’s culture shock in the U.S. influenced her portraiture canon that is still so famous and treasured today." ―Fortune
"I could tell [Frida Kahlo's paintings] told a personal story, but I didn’t know hers. Frida in America tells that story... Stahr’s book is an excellent primer on the meaning of Frida’s work." ― Hour Detroit
"Stahr brings new clarity to Kahlo’s life and genius for creating audacious autobiographical tableaux which pose resounding questions about history, justice, gender, spirituality, and freedom." --Booklist (starred review)
"Highly informative... The first major biography since Hayden Herrera's 1983 work presents the artist in all her ferocious complexity." --Kirkus
"[An] insightful debut....Featuring meticulous research and elegant turns of phrase, Stahr’s engrossing account provides scholarly though accessible analysis for both feminists and art lovers." --Publisher's Weekly