Skip to main content

Frida & I

Image Source

Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo Calderón - I first heard of her in my late teens, although I do not recall in what context, and I have been obsessed ever since. For the uninitiated, Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who was also a surrealist. She is known for her bright, bold paintings, mainly self-portraits. She battled polio at the tender age of six and suffered an accident when she was eighteen which left her with multiple injuries, including a broken spine and pelvis. She lived in pain and illness for the rest of her life while being bedridden towards her final years. She had an easel specially crafted for her that would enable her to paint from bed. She died when she was forty-seven on what is stated to be an overdose of painkillers but could amount to suicide on the account of being lovesick. For an outsider, she lived a tragic life and would soon be forgotten. If you look a little deeper into her life, you'll she the inspiration she was is.

Frida Kahlo's life and work have profoundly inspired me, serving as a beacon of strength, resilience, and self-expression. Her paintings, brimming with vibrant colors and deeply personal symbolism, resonate with my own journey toward self-love and acceptance. Her ability to channel her pain and experiences into her art has taught me the power of vulnerability and the beauty that can emerge from embracing one's true self. Growing up in an environment where people around made fun of me, either for being skinny or for being dusky or simply for the fact that my folks couldn't afford basic stuff, it took me a long time to embrace the life I've been given and accept myself for the way I was. While books gave me the strength to do that, Frida was the support. Her works, such as "The Two Fridas" and "Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird," illustrate the complexity of human emotions, encouraging me to explore and express my own inner world without fear or hesitation.

Frida's unapologetic self-love is another aspect of her legacy that deeply moves me. One look at her and you see that she's not the conventional looker. Marred by ill health, her posture and gait suffered too. She actually wore a plastic corset throughout her life to support her back. Despite enduring immense physical and emotional pain, she never shied away from portraying herself authentically in her art. Her self-portraits, often raw and unflinching, capture her unique beauty and individuality. This made me look at myself with kinder eyes, to appreciate my own uniqueness, and to understand that self-love is not about perfection but about acceptance and the celebration of who I am. Frida's fearless depiction of her reality serves as a reminder that embracing oneself fully is an act of defiance and empowerment. The people who mocked me back then are flabbergasted by my confidence today.

As much as I'm a lover of all things love, Frida's love story is the only aspect of her life I did not understand. For a woman who is so proud of herself, she reduced herself drastically for the man she loved. Love, both in its presence and absence, clearly played a significant role in Frida's life and work. Her tumultuous relationship with Diego Rivera, who cheated on her multiple times including an affair with her sister, is well-documented in her paintings, reflecting both the profound love they shared and the pain it often brought her. I've been in love a few times, yes, but this kind of love is not something I understand. I'm a giver when it comes to a relationship and I expect the same. I'd rather deal with a heartbreak than have my self-respect scarred.

A Frida Kahlo memorabilia I picked up from Madrid 

Colors clearly played an important role in Frida's life. The vibrant colors in her paintings are a testament to her connection with life and nature. Her use of bold, vivid hues brings her canvases to life, making them pulsate with energy and emotion. Perhaps an overcompensation for all the grey in her life. This fearless use of color taught me to incorporate more vibrancy into my own life, whether through my surroundings, my wardrobe, or my creative projects. Especially during my late teens and twenties. They inspired me in more ways than one and gave me the confidence that I needed back then. Her colors are not just aesthetic choices but expressions of her spirit and her refusal to let pain dull her zest for life. This lesson in embracing color and joy, despite hardships, is a powerful one that I strive to embody in my daily life even today. With age, my choices have veered to the more muted colors, but I can never forget what colors actually mean to me.

Frida's deep connection with nature is another element of her work that's interesting. Many of her paintings feature elements of the natural world, from lush landscapes to symbolic animals and plants. This connection reflects her belief in the interdependence and co-existence of humans and nature, and her reverence for the natural world. In my journey of minimalism and sustainability, this inspired me to seek solace and inspiration in nature, to appreciate its beauty and healing power, and to incorporate its elements into my own creative expressions. This caused me to cultivate a deeper respect for the environment and to draw strength from its resilience and beauty. Being a pet parent has reinforced my faith into the concept of co-existence and the plethora of plants around me has taught me patience, resilience and peace. You see all these in plenty in Frida's paintings making the connection I feel with her deeper.

Above all, Frida Kahlo's strength in the face of adversity is what inspires me the most. Despite suffering from lifelong health issues, severe injuries from a bus accident, and numerous personal challenges, she continued to create and live passionately. Her story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the human spirit's ability to overcome immense obstacles. Her unwavering determination to express herself and her refusal to be defined by her suffering serve as a powerful reminder that strength comes not from the absence of pain but from the courage to face it head-on. Her legacy inspires me to approach my own challenges with resilience and to find strength in my myriad vulnerabilities.

Frida Kahlo will be an inspiration for life. I have named plants after her. A tilted head pot at home is dedicated to her. If my pup was a female I'd have called her Frida for sure. Such has been her impact on my life. This is my chapter of life called Frida and I.

Comments

  1. Wow! Such a wonderful post, Soumya! Didn't know this about you—am a huge fan of hers too. Frida, to me, is definitely one of the brightest icons amongst artists the world over. To me, personally, her strength to fight her vulnerabilities and her zest for life will always outshine the tragic aspects of her life. So many years later, it's the legacy of her work, the vibrancy of her spirit and her resilience that has kept her alive in the hearts of millions of women who continue to be inspired by her.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have heard about her and know a few of her paintings, but I have never read so much in depth about her life and struggles. What an incredible woman. Thank you for writing this beautiful piece about her journey and how it has impacted your life and beliefs.
    I also felt sad reading about her relationship. I try not to delve too much deeper into relationships of women I admire. I remember spending a whole day agonising over Agatha Christie and her cheating ex husband. We didn't live in those times so probably we won't understand the dynamics of their relationship.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You should read more about her, her life is so fascinating. Oh yes, the more you look into the love lives of some women, you start losing respect for them. But then again, we don't know what exactly happened there. So we ignore it and move on.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Just like me, say what you feel. While constructive criticism is welcome, please keep it subtle and kind. Thank you!