Game changers: Frida Kahlo

Kahlo gained global recognition as an artist with her sentimental and autobiographical self-portraits, and earned her title as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century with both her artwork and integral involvement in social movements.

Frida Kahlo was a world-renown Mexican painter and one of the first female artists to lead the surrealism and magic realism art movements in the early 1900s. Famous for her naïve folk art style, Kahlo gained global recognition as an artist with her sentimental and autobiographical self-portraits, and earned her title as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century with both her artwork and integral involvement in social movements.

Kahlo began her journey as an artist as a young adult, when she was tragically injured in a freak bus accident and was left unable to walk for three months. During these painful times, Kahlo channeled her thoughts and experiences through art and painted portraits of herself and family members. Although Kahlo drew inspiration from cubism and the renaissance period during her early days as an artist, she gradually transitioned into incorporating Mexican folk art in her paintings and pursuing a more narrative-style way of art.

What made Frida Kahlo so influential as an artist?

Perhaps the biggest reason why Kahlo rose to fame and has held such a long-lasting and culturally widespread legacy was her challenging take on society. Having positioned herself as part of the ‘Mexicanidad’ movement (romantic nationalism prominent in the 1930s after Mexico's revolution), Kahlo used her art to question problems she saw within society such as gender roles, motherhood, sexuality and cultural identity. Her self-portraits drew attention to challenges that Kahlo was facing at different points in her life, which were also largely relatable to her global audience.

Kahlo’s ability to pour unfiltered emotions, whether happy or painful, into her art attracted audiences of all cultural backgrounds and social groups, effectively uniting them and encouraging members of the public to speak up against social injustices together. Kahlo was (and still is) recognised for her contributions to the Chicanos, feminist groups, the LGBTQ+ as well as Mexican nationals and indigenous people. Even after her death at 47 years old, Frida’s paintings were still used as icons for these social movement groups.

In addition to revolutionalising global views on certain aspects of society, Kahlo was also sensationalised and admired as a survivor, having lived through both World Wars, a metal pole through her spine and health complications due to failed pregnancies.

Kahlo’s art forced her audience to reflect deeper on the problems within society, including toxic masculinity, racism, LGBTQ+ discrimination and motherhood guilt. By sharing her personal experiences through her art, Kahlo was able to connect with mass audiences and ask provocative questions which even now, seventy years later, modern society has no answer to.

Source:
Biography
Wikipedia

Image via ABC 7 News.

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