Thursday, August 14, 2008

"I paint my own reality." -Frida Kahlo

We went to the Frida Kahlo exhibit in the city today at MOMA. Other than being a little freaked at the commodification of such a fine, iconoclastic artist, I loved it. I shouldn't have been surprised that Frida mouse pads and Frida luggage tags were on sale since she's become such an icon--and capitalism loves an icon...it's just so insanely ironic since she was a raging socialist.

It was amazing to look closely at the paintings and see her brushstrokes. That's when I feel time isn't real--that in some ways she's still right here.

The painting above, of the Colonialized Frida holding hands with the Native Mexican Frida, was stunning in person. It's huge, too--something I hadn't expected after seeing it in books for years (and on pot holders and cigarette lighters, ha).


The way she portrays women's bodies, pain, and loss is so powerful.
In person, the hummingbird on her "necklace" looks more dead than in the books. And the cat more sinister. I like the way the colors of the animals reflect her unruly eyebrow(s).

She has a cigarette in her hand in many of the paintings. The birds are fantastic in this one.

Frida had many health problems including childhood polio, a horrific trolley accident in which she was impaled and her back broken, and a miscarriage. Needless to say, she was in pain a lot of her life. A few days before she died she wrote, "I hope the leaving is joyful; and I hope never to return."

*

Afterward, we drove across the city, east to west, to take a walk through Golden Gate Park and to have the very best microbrewed IPA ever made: Presidio IPA. You can only buy it at the Beach Chalet, a very cool restaurant overlooking the vastness of Ocean Beach.

If you're ever in the city, you must go. The fish & chips are really good. The restaurant is upstairs in an old building that features walls filled with a huge depression-era WPA fresco depicting San Francisco. Here's a small slice of it:


11 comments:

Anonymous said...

My husband and I just now got finished watching that Frida movie & here this blog post is in my feed reader.

Kate Evans said...

Jilly, that's the weirdest serendipity...

l said...

Kate,

I went to the exhibit in early part of July and like you it had a strong effect on me. She painted through extreme pain both physical (all to do with her accident) and emotional (her husband having affairs which included one with her sister). It's one thing looking at her paintings in a book or even on the 'net, but up close takes your breath away. The detail and the colours are amazing and what stories they tell. And, knowing some of her back ground makes the paintings speak even louder. Kahlo's life is fascinating and so much has been written about her that it's possible to enhance your experience by doing a little extra reading. The exhibit itself, I thought, was extremely well done. The audio portion I found helpful especially the interviews with other artists speaking of the influence Kahlo had on them. I enjoyed the photograph section so much when Joe found Frida Kahlo The Camera Seduced a Memoir by Elana Poniatowska and essay by Carla Stellweg in one of my favorite used book shops, I added it to my stack of books by my bed. I never tire of looking at the sixty photographs. Pictures of Kaholo taken by Imogen Cunningham are stunning

Collin Kelley said...

I'd love to see this exhibition. Frida is one of my favorites. How long is it on show?

Kate Evans said...

Pat: I felt exactly the same way. Thanks for articulating it here.

Collin: I believe just a few more weeks.

Kate Evans said...

Pat: I felt exactly the same way. Thanks for articulating it here.

Collin: I believe just a few more weeks.

Kate Evans said...

Pat: I felt exactly the same way. Thanks for articulating it here.

Collin: I believe just a few more weeks.

Jo A. T.B. said...

What an interesting exhibit. What a tumultuous life she lead, to paint with such beauty. Thanks for posting this Kate, very much enjoyed!

Anonymous said...

Kate
For a different point of view about Frida Kahlo, I invite you to my post at Venetian Red
http://venetianred.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/cult-offering-frida-kahlo-at-sfmoma/

I have been a fan of Kahlo's for some time and have been lucky enough to see a large portion of her work at one time or another in Mexico and Europe. She opened up a bewitching world to me—pre-Columbian & Spanish colonial art—which I am still happily exploring.

However, the mass popularity of Kahlo, as exhibited by the throngs at MoMA, caused me to reflect on what was actually drawing the crowds, art or aura.

Liz Hager
Venetian Red

Kate Evans said...

Read it & comment on it. Thanks for the fresh perspective, Liz.

elizabeth avedon said...

View Marvi Lacar's photograph of Kahlo House here:
http://elizabethavedon.blogspot.com/2009/07/marvi-lacar-maasai-women.html