Unexpected Courage
When you think of courage, what comes to mind? Perhaps it's astronauts landing
on the moon or firefighters saving people from a burning home. The life of artist Frida
Kahlo is also a tale of unusual talent and remarkable courage.
Frida's life started out in a normal and expected way. She was born in Mexico on
July 6, 1907. Her father, Guillermo, originally from Germany, had moved to Mexico,
where he eventually met her mother, Matilde. Her father learned photography from his
father-in-law and set up a photography business in Mexico. Frida lived with her parents in
their home in Mexico.
One of the first serious challenges that Frida faced came at the age of six, when
she was struck with polio. Nowadays, there is a polio vaccine. But back in the 1900s,
polio was a terrifying worldwide epidemic, which particularly affected children and
resulted in life-long disabilities. As a result of this disease, Frida's right foot became very
thin and weak. Despite being so young, Frida worked regularly to exercise the muscles in
her right foot. Even with her best efforts, she never fully regained the complete use of her
right foot. So, she had to endure the teasing of other children.
Nonetheless, Frida had lofty aspirations. She decided she wanted to study to
become a doctor, and she enrolled in the National Preparatory School. This was a very
reputable school, and, at the time, only thirty-five girls were accepted to attend out of a
total of two thousand students. Frida devoted herself to her studies, and, as a result of her
hard work, she became fluent in Spanish, English, and German.
Unfortunately, tragedy would strike once again. During her senior year in 1925,
with medical school just a few months away, Frida was involved in a major bus accident.
The accident broke her pelvic bone and her spinal column, and it resulted in other injuries.
Doctors had no idea whether or not Frida would live; and certainly, if she lived, they did
not think she would ever walk again. Yet somehow, Frida survived.
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For Frida, the accident changed everything. Suddenly, life was not about living
and pursuing a medical career. Now, suddenly life was about surviving. She needed a
series of painful operations, and she would be bound to her bed for a long time during
her recovery.
Clearly, she could not attend medical school, yet somehow Frida took this
tragedy and courageously turned it into inspiration. She asked for paints and canvases.
She then began to paint self-portraits from her bed, viewing herself by using a mirror.
She hadn't had much experience with the arts before, but that didn't stop her. She
painted and painted.
Eventually, Frida was able to walk again. But her ability to walk could never
be taken for granted. Sometimes she could walk without support, sometimes she
needed a cane or other support, and sometimes she would be bedridden for weeks or
months.
In addition, because of the severity of the injuries to her spine, doctors
required that she wear a corset off and on throughout the rest of her life. A corset is a
stiff support, almost like a cast, that people wear around their waist and chest. For the
rest of her lifetime, Frida would be required to wear painful corsets made out of steel
as well as corsets made from plaster. The corsets could go from her hips to the top of
her chest. They held her stiff so she could not bend or move. Another person might
have lost hope and become completely unmotivated. But not Frida—she actually
painted her plaster corsets. In addition, she painted self-portraits, in which she showed
the world her broken bones and her body, stiff and immobilized in these corsets. So, in
the end, she used the corsets as an inspiration.
Frida's paintings became known for the ways in which she uniquely
represented her life. At the time, other painters depicted images of field workers or
steel workers, or they created abstract and surreal images of objects such as melting
clocks. Frida's paintings were unusual. She painted very realistic images of herself—
her face, her corsets, her clothing, and the bed in which she was confined. But she
blended this with more surreal imagery—such as banners being held aloft by doves,
walking skeletons, and her chest opened to show her heart. She blended the real and
surreal to show her thoughts, feelings, and sensations to the world. From looking at a
series of her paintings, a viewer would be able to see the secrets of her life: her
injuries, her love of life, and the problems she had with family.
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The Two Fridas by Frida Kahlo
Over the course of her life, Frida suffered through more than thirty surgeries.
Despite her injuries, she traveled the world to show her paintings. Frida Kahlo passed
away in 1954 at the age of forty-seven. Despite her physical suffering, she persevered
and created a wealth of paintings that are still admired and respected around the world.
In total, Frida painted well over a hundred paintings, of which more than fifty were
self-portraits. As she said herself, she painted so many self-portraits "because I am so
often alone … because I am the subject I know best."
quotes and meaning
1. "I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality." - This quote reflects Frida Kahlo's commitment to portraying her own experiences and emotions in her artwork, rather than creating fictional or idealized images.
2. "Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?" - This quote highlights Frida's determination and resilience in the face of physical challenges. Despite her injuries and limitations, she found ways to express herself and pursue her passion for art.
3. "I am my own muse, the subject I know best." - Frida acknowledges that she is the most familiar with her own experiences and emotions, which is why she often depicted herself in her paintings. This quote also speaks to the idea of self-expression and self-exploration through art.
4. "At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can." - This quote reflects Frida's belief in the resilience of the human spirit. Despite facing numerous challenges and setbacks in her life, she never gave up and continued to create art that resonates with audiences around the world.
5. "I am not sick. I am broken. But I am happy to be alive as long as I can paint." - This quote demonstrates Frida's determination to find joy and meaning in her life, despite physical pain and disability. Painting was a source of solace and purpose for her, and she continued to create art as long as she was able.