The truly inspirational, unique and iconic painter Frida Kahlo, remains a prominent artist throughout the 60 years past her passing away. Originally from Mexican descent, her character broke all barriers and changed the ways we view beauty. She has inspired generations to come and preached self-love, regardless of whether your looks match society’s expectations or not.
She became most famous for her self-portraits, which revealed a lot about her but were also mysterious at the same time, portraying her raw self with very thick eyebrows and red lipstick. A true feminist who not once failed to express her views, she serves as an example to chasing what we are passionate about. Her folkloric attires have also contributed to making her one of the unique women out there.
Those are only some of the facts that have made Frida who she was and what she stood for and is finally being recognized by having a street being named after her. Honoring her character, San Francisco is renaming one of their streets.
Located nearby the City College of San Francisco, Phelan Avenue will now be changed to Friga Khalo Way, KQED Public Media has made known to the citizens of America.
Another recognition of Frida and her amazingly unique work is by the City by the Bay, which is fully decorated with murals of her. She had visited the city back in 1940 together with her painter husband Diego Rivera, who both held it dearly to their hearts. For their ties and connections, the city also hosts an entire festival dedicated to her art, which is named Fiestas Frida. The festival displays the works of the artist at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
People’s adoration of Frida does not stop there. The following are a few facts about Frida that you may not have previously known.
Frida’s house turned into a museum in Mexico
Kahlo’s museum is located in Colonia del Carmen area in Mexico City and is also known as La Casa Azul or “The Blue House”
Frida’s house in the Coyocan neighborhood of Mexico City has been turned into a museum, showcasing a lot of her personal belongings. The house’s artistic vibe has been maintained, and it matches the chic style of the entire neighborhood where Frida once lived.
Items that were kept and that visitors could see are jewelry pieces, clothing items, photographs of her and of the things she liked to take pictures of, some of her furniture, a lot of her less known paintings and a few of her journals. Interestingly enough, a lot of the visitors claim to feel Frida’s presence when visiting the house.
That is up for questioning, as it is widely known she has passed away in that house in 1954 due to a pulmonary embolism. Some may actually feel it, whereas others may just want to add to the experience.
Salma Hayek played the title role in the film “Frida,” and was later nominated for an Oscar
Not is only Frida herself being given recognition widely, but so are people who help portray her life. Famous actress Salma Hayek, who played Frida in her biopic, has allowed for the actress to win an Oscar Nomination for Best Actress back in 2003.
When asked how the experience of playing Frida was, Hayek claimed it inspired her down to the very core. She mentioned Frida’s courage of being different and lack of fear in embracing her uniqueness. Hayes was inspired to be living her life unapologetically and how she wants to, just like Frida did all her life despite any criticism at the time.
Frida inspired doll sold as merchandise across the world
Nothing was ever ordinary concerning Frida, and especially not her outfits. She always wore the folkloric huipiles, an indigenous dress pertaining to the region of Mexico where she was from.
They were layered dresses which she combined with heavy jewelry, always had her hair braided and put up and added flowers to them. She inspired many to wear similar traditional clothes, earning herself the title of a trendsetter.
Her unique style was used to inspire the portrayal of indigenous style, subsequently providing for merchandise to be designed after her. Things like T-shirts, Halloween customs, bags, postcards, and dolls were designed using Frida as an inspiration. Another addition to her success is the book published by Lil Libros for little children.
A young Frida photographed with her husband Diego, who she loved dearly despite his alleged infidelity.
She was a widely passionate woman who loved art and photography and animals, but she was madly in love with her husband. After getting married in 1929, their marriage survived a lot of ups and downs until the year of 1940. They had initially divorced then but gotten back together later that year.
Rumors had it that the divorce came about due to the affairs her husband Rivera was having were numerous other partners. Allegedly, he also had a romantic relationship with the person closest to his wife Frida, her little sister Cristina. That seems to not have diminished Frida’s love for him, as she claimed Diego was her entire universe. A person courageous to love like that does not come about often.
One of Frida’s self-portraits showing her favorite exotic animals and nature.
Frida also loved animals, but particularly exotic animals. She has shown that best in her self-portraits, where she was shown at her home with multiple animals, like monkeys and deer, birds and dogs.
She loved all living species, especially things growing in nature. She once said she paints flowers so that they won’t die, which has left critics wondering whether that was the purpose behind her self-portraits too. Whether that’s the truth or not, we could not love her more.