Kahlo Flipped Hair 1940

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The painting is of two versions of Frida Kahlo, closely gripping hands and sharing one heart between them. They are dressed in contrary clothing, with the Frida on the left dressed in modern European garb, while the other to the right is in traditional Mexican clothing. When viewing the painting, we are immediately attracted to the left Frida, who has nearly all of the light in the painting shining down on her. Her European clothing, popular in Mexico at the time, feels very constricting for both the subject and the viewer,specifically the collar grasping her neck so very tightly. Her upright and fragile stance and her almost limp grasp of the second Frida’s is understandable as we see the gaping hole where her heart should be. The pulsating anatomy of her wound bleeds into the room, while her face is completely indifferent. A single vein connects the hole in left Frida to the heart of right Frida. In left Frida’s unclenched hand, a delicate pair of scissors, indicating that she had wretched the heart out of her own bosom. It is this connection that guides us to the Frida to the right, but not before we notice the background behind them. A gray and cloudy backdrop that seems to embody Kahlo’s emotional state at the time, it is hard to distinguish the right Frida from its murky depths. A shadow presiding all around her, the right Frida is dressed in a traditional Mexican dress, with a posture and facial expression completely identical to the other Frida’s. The most eye-catching feature of hers, however, is the pulsating heart that the left Frida is lacking beating out of her chest. This gruesome and oblivious picture is made only more extraordinary when we make out the object right Frida is

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Her self expression through painting is used as an outlet for her expression as the new individual she has grown to be.

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Her goal is simple: To create a series of images which function is to enhance and reveal flaws. These so-called "anti-portraits" highlight flaws while maintaining the innate beauty of her

Frida Kahlo is a world-renowned Mexican painter known for her shocking self-portaits filled with painful imagery. Her artwork was seen by many as surrealist and socialist, but she refused the labels put on herself. Until today, her works have been able to exude the same playful and wild feel as before (Fisher n.p). Her legacy as a painter has attracted prominent people like Madonna who has confessed her admiration for the painter. Not only that but fashion designers are frequently inspired by her iconic Tijuana dresses while her paintings have been priced at more than three million dollars (Bauer 115).

In the painting she drew herself wearing his favorite Tehuana costume that her husband was obsessed with. The significance of the Tehuana shows us that the love created between her and her husband has molded her into adopting new traits in order to please him. This painting shows a darker and more sinister side of love, one that will mold and posse many people that just want to find love. The more insecure and emotionally drained people often tend to change their personality or human traits in order to “love” the right one. Kahlo’s self portrait does a great job in showcasing the negative affects a weak bond and a lot of love can do to one's mind.

Although Kahlo is dressed fairly innocent, the cigarette in her hand suggests rebellion. Again, a depiction of being perhaps torn internally. The flag in her other hand represents her loyalty to Mexico. The artist uses elements of surrealism mainly on the Mexican side of this portrait.

This reminds us of the A and Not-A concept. Typically, “In Western society, “man” is A, “women” is Not-A” (Lorber 7). Automatically, Kahlo would have been considered Not-A because she was a woman, but also because she was mexican, bisexual and “impure.” However, society ignored the A/Not-A concept with her because she was one of the most popular 20th century artists’. Society embraced her differences and accepted her Not-A

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Frida was against the feminine ideals that were imposed on her by society as a result she became an important feminist icon. Kahlo was often, and still is, criticized by her facial hair, what is admirable about her is that despite how much negative opinions she experienced, she kept her head held high, she was proud of her unibrow