Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican nationalist, married to Diego Rivera, who was crippled by polio and a bus accident. She painted in a style that paid homage to realism, surrealism, and Mexican folk art. Her colorful costumes and stormy temper were as much a legend as her art. She paints the emotions of a dramatic and passionate life using realism, Mexican images, and blatant symbolism.
Her paintings are under copyright. You can go to http://www.frida-kahlo-foundation.org/ to see them.
Her paintings are under copyright. You can go to http://www.frida-kahlo-foundation.org/ to see them.
Kahlo and Goya
Kahlo’s style reminds me a bit of Goya’s, at least his looser paintings. They share raw intensity, and neither are afraid to use gory allegory in their compositions. A few of Goya’s paintings seem quite clumsy and airless to me, but although Kahlo is a primitive and hence also sometimes clumsy, her work has fire always. Perhaps this is because he worked on commission more than she did.
The Broken Column
The Broken Column is a moving self-portrait depicting Kahlo as a broken hollow shell. Her right and left half are strapped together by white bands, dozens of nails pierce her flesh and bedsheet, and her spinal column has been replaced by a metal brace. Silent tears fall from her eyes. A desolate fractured landscape spreads gloomily behind her.
While this is a pretty accurate portrait of her broken body, it can be seen as metaphorical also. We are all damaged in some way, and some of us are blessed with the self-knowledge of knowing the extent of the damage. Kahlo's direct gaze and unflinching acceptance of her fate is a gift that strengthens the viewer. And that's why it's a masterpiece.
While this is a pretty accurate portrait of her broken body, it can be seen as metaphorical also. We are all damaged in some way, and some of us are blessed with the self-knowledge of knowing the extent of the damage. Kahlo's direct gaze and unflinching acceptance of her fate is a gift that strengthens the viewer. And that's why it's a masterpiece.
Kahlo Lesson
Lesson: Begin with relaxation, and a warm-up from Mona Brooks' "Drawing with Children."
Mini-Lecture: Frida Kahlo's life and times.
Discussion: Why does Kahlo have so many creepy self-portraits? (Many answers, including that sometimes you don't know the answer verbally and have to process visually; some things don't have answers; sometimes people like to shock other people; they are beautiful even though they are also disturbing.)
Stations: Three stations, fifteen minutes apiece, choice of five (see below).
Visualization: Find an animal friend (see below)
Masterwork: Paint a self portrait that incorporates your animal friend or something disturbing from your life or thoughts.
Mini-Lecture: Frida Kahlo's life and times.
Discussion: Why does Kahlo have so many creepy self-portraits? (Many answers, including that sometimes you don't know the answer verbally and have to process visually; some things don't have answers; sometimes people like to shock other people; they are beautiful even though they are also disturbing.)
Stations: Three stations, fifteen minutes apiece, choice of five (see below).
Visualization: Find an animal friend (see below)
Masterwork: Paint a self portrait that incorporates your animal friend or something disturbing from your life or thoughts.
Station One: Frida Kahlo information, Eyebrows
1. Leaf through "Brush of Agony," choosing a few of your favorite paintings to study closely. Kahlo exaggerated her eyebrows.
2. Using a mirror, draw your own eyebrows. Notice how the hairs go in a certain pattern. Check your friends' eyebrows to see if theirs are similar. How are they similar? How do they differ?
2. Using a mirror, draw your own eyebrows. Notice how the hairs go in a certain pattern. Check your friends' eyebrows to see if theirs are similar. How are they similar? How do they differ?
Station Two: Chimerae
A Chimera is a person/animal combination. Look at Kahlo's self portrait entitled "The Little Deer."
1. Draw a human head
2. Give it an animal body. You can use the magazine pictures of animals for inspiration.
3. Put your creature in an environment.
1. Draw a human head
2. Give it an animal body. You can use the magazine pictures of animals for inspiration.
3. Put your creature in an environment.
Station Three: Lotería
These are the cards we made last class, along with some extras. Play the game like Bingo. Take turns choosing a card and calling out its name. Put a marker on your Tabla. The first person to get four markers in a row wins. "¡Yo gané!"
Station Four: Make More Lotería Cards
Use what you have learned about Posada from last week and Kahlo from this week to make more Lotería cards.
Station Five: Parrots
Use the prompts to draw parrots.
Visualization
Trance Music, something from Solyma maybe.
Introduction: We're going to do a visualization. Some people find them easy to do, other people don't get it. That's fine. If you have an easy time visualizing, you're lucky. If you don't, you'll still get some sort of vague ideas. With a little bit of thought, you can turn those vague ideas into a painting or drawing.
Now, check your body. Is it relaxed? Find the points of tension and let them loosen up.
1. Close your eyes, take three deep breaths and imagine that you are sitting in a safe place outside, a place where you can feel quiet and open to the world. It might be on the beach, or in a maple tree, or on the tire swing.
2. Now as you are sitting quietly, enjoying yourself, a friendly animal approaches. It comes and sits next to you, making a gentle sound. Listen to the sound. Some animals might speak, others might purr or snuffle. Reach out, in your mind, and let it sniff your hand. Stroke its head and that place behind the ears that animals like to have scratched. What does its fur feel like? Coarse or silky? Does it have stripes or spots? Is it a tiny little thing, or is it as big as you or the size of a horse? Does it smell gentle like a meadow or strong like a powerful beast? Go on a short walk with this friendly animal and let it show you something important.
3. Observe this important thing closely. In its own way, your animal will tell you what it wants you to notice. Remember this thing when you open your eyes.
Introduction: We're going to do a visualization. Some people find them easy to do, other people don't get it. That's fine. If you have an easy time visualizing, you're lucky. If you don't, you'll still get some sort of vague ideas. With a little bit of thought, you can turn those vague ideas into a painting or drawing.
Now, check your body. Is it relaxed? Find the points of tension and let them loosen up.
1. Close your eyes, take three deep breaths and imagine that you are sitting in a safe place outside, a place where you can feel quiet and open to the world. It might be on the beach, or in a maple tree, or on the tire swing.
2. Now as you are sitting quietly, enjoying yourself, a friendly animal approaches. It comes and sits next to you, making a gentle sound. Listen to the sound. Some animals might speak, others might purr or snuffle. Reach out, in your mind, and let it sniff your hand. Stroke its head and that place behind the ears that animals like to have scratched. What does its fur feel like? Coarse or silky? Does it have stripes or spots? Is it a tiny little thing, or is it as big as you or the size of a horse? Does it smell gentle like a meadow or strong like a powerful beast? Go on a short walk with this friendly animal and let it show you something important.
3. Observe this important thing closely. In its own way, your animal will tell you what it wants you to notice. Remember this thing when you open your eyes.
Masterwork
Make a self-portrait that includes yourself, the animal, and the important thing that it showed you. Below is my response to this assignment.