Frida Kahlo: ‘I enjoy being contradictory’

10 Facts about Frida:

1. Frida was born in Mexico in 1907
2. She suffered from polio during her childhood
3. Frida was impaled by a handrail through her pelvis in a bus accident when she was 16 which not only rendered her disabled for the rest of her life but prevented her from having children.
4. Frida turned to painting (having originally aimed at being a doctor) focusing specifically on self portrait inspired primarily by Mexican folk culture
5. Frida was the first Mexican artist to be featured at the Louvre, Paris
6. Frida was married twice to the celebrated muralist Diego Rivera
7. Frida had an extra marital liaison with the socialist revolutionary and intellectual Leon Trotsky
8. Frida was a member of the Mexican Communist Party
9. She used her art to construct her identity around her disability and her gender
10. Frida died aged 47 in 1954

A long awaited visit to the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the V&A surpassed all expectations. A chronological journey through the life of Frida from the personal possessions taken from Frida’s house, known as the Blue House, just outside Mexico city. Hidden away for 50 years following her death they only came to light in late 2003.

The following discussion is vital to all those who are fans of Frida and to those who want to find out about not only the exhibition but her highly influential life.

These small number of images from the exhibition provide a partial insight in to the woman, the artist, the inspiration and the icon that is Frida Kahlo.

Some of her dresses.

Frida in her workshop at her easel.

The suffering of Frida throughout her life is reflected in her cast she wore for her broken spine which can be seen here with her political art work and…

and her prosthetic leg following both her polio and teenage accident.

Her make up and medicines were also on display and again give a sense of the pain and torment she experienced as well as the consequent impact it had on her depiction of ‘self’ in her art.

The fascination with Frida comes primarily for many in her capacity to construct a contradictory persona that is flawed and human. Physical disguise made through her art.

A copy of the dress her friends adorned her in when she died in 1954.