ARTD 287

The art of Frida is, I think a great example of art that is both self-reflective and socially challenging. Frida explores and expresses her own pain, her own past, and her own relationships, while at the same time challenging some of the gender stereotypes of her time.

Frida is best known for her self-portraits and they are often somewhat shocking. They are also the kind of paintings that I could look at for hours and probably not fully understand all of the symbolism that she uses.

For example, her physical pain as a result of the auto accident that she was involved in is represented in many of her self portraits. However in addition to this personal suffering, she challenges gender roles in her self-portraits by choosing to portray herself in a way that did not conform to traditional standards of feminine beauty. Between her unibrow and her sometimes masculine, sometimes indigenous clothing, she was in a way, consciously or not, rebelling against what society did (and still does) dictate is beautiful and right for a woman.

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I think that this fusion of self and societal reflection is really powerful and rings very true because it is not contrived. They are self-portraits and they are an expression of Frida, and they also authentically challenge the gender norms of Frida's day.

By Kate Pritchard