Kahlo
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© 2005 by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis from The Comprehension Toolkit (Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann). This page may be reproduced for classroom use only. 129 The Life of Frida Kahlo Bright colors and shocking subjects are trademarks of the artwork of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Her art seems to reflect the drama of her life. Frida developed polio when she was six years old, which left her with one leg much thinner than the other. When she was eighteen, she was in a serious bus accident; she was bedridden for many months, and her injuries caused her tremendous pain and fatigue throughout the rest of her life. An Artistic Recovery While Frida lay in bed recovering from the accident, she started painting. A friend convinced her to show her paintings to the famous Mexican artist Diego Rivera. They fell in love and were married in 1929, when Frida was nine- teen years old. Or maybe she was twenty-two. No one knows for sure, since she lied about her birth date! Artists in Love Until she married Diego, Frida kept her black hair cropped short and dressed in men’s-style clothing. But Diego con- vinced her to let her hair grow long and to wear the traditional brightly colored dresses favored by Mexican women. Frida and Diego were each other’s greatest artistic admirers. However, their marriage was a stormy one. They lived a wild life. They were even accused of murdering the communist leader Leon Trotsky, who stayed with them when- ever he visited Mexico. Frida’s art became world famous; when she visited Europe, she was entertained by contem- poraries like Pablo Picasso. First Exhibit In 1953, Frida had her first and only exhibition of her paintings in Mexico City. She was very sick, and her doctor ordered her to stay in bed. So Frida arranged an ambulance to bring her to the opening of her exhibit. They set her stretcher up in the middle of the room; from there Frida partied and entertained people with stories until late into the night. Young Death Frida died when she was forty-seven. She remained flamboyant even then. As mourners stood by the cremation incinerator, a huge blast of heat made her body rise bolt upright. Her long, black hair was engulfed in flames around her head. At least that’s how the story goes! ■ Portrait of Diego Rivera and Frida Rivera Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Carl Van Vechten Collection, [reproduction number LC-USZ62-42516]
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In 1953, Frida had her first and only exhibition of her paintings in Mexico City. She was very sick, and her doctor ordered her to stay in bed. So Frida arranged an ambulance to bring her tothe opening of her exhibit. They set her stretcher up in the middle of the room; from there Frida partied and entertained people with stories until lateinto the night. Young Death An Artistic Recovery Artists in Love First Exhibit 129 Portrait of Diego Rivera and Frida Rivera
Transcript of Kahlo
©20
05 b
y S
teph
anie
Har
vey
and
Ann
e G
oudv
is fr
om T
he C
ompr
ehen
sion
Too
lkit
(Por
tsm
outh
, NH
: Hei
nem
ann)
. Thi
s pa
ge m
ay b
e re
prod
uced
for
clas
sroo
m u
se o
nly.
129
The Life of Frida Kahlo
Bright colors and shocking subjectsare trademarks of the artwork ofMexican painter Frida Kahlo. Her artseems to reflect the drama of her life.Frida developed polio when she was sixyears old, which left her with one legmuch thinner than the other. When shewas eighteen, she was in a serious busaccident; she was bedridden for manymonths, and her injuries caused hertremendous pain and fatigue throughoutthe rest of her life.
An Artistic RecoveryWhile Frida lay in bed recovering
from the accident, she started painting.A friend convinced her to show herpaintings to the famous Mexican artistDiego Rivera. They fell in love and weremarried in 1929, when Frida was nine-teen years old. Or maybe she wastwenty-two. No one knows for sure,since she lied about her birth date!
Artists in LoveUntil she married Diego, Frida kept
her black hair cropped short and dressedin men’s-style clothing. But Diego con-vinced her to let her hair grow long andto wear the traditional brightly coloreddresses favored by Mexican women.
Frida and Diego were each other’sgreatest artistic admirers. However, theirmarriage was a stormy one. They liveda wild life. They were even accused ofmurdering the communist leader LeonTrotsky, who stayed with them when-ever he visited Mexico. Frida’s artbecame world famous; when she visitedEurope, she was entertained by contem-poraries like Pablo Picasso.
First ExhibitIn 1953, Frida had her first and only
exhibition of her paintings in MexicoCity. She was very sick, and her doctorordered her to stay in bed. So Fridaarranged an ambulance to bring herto the opening of her exhibit. They sether stretcher up in the middle of theroom; from there Frida partied andentertained people with stories untillate into the night.
Young DeathFrida died when she was forty-seven.
She remained flamboyant even then. As mourners stood by the cremationincinerator, a huge blast of heat madeher body rise bolt upright. Her long,black hair was engulfed in flamesaround her head. At least that’s howthe story goes! ■
Portrait of Diego Rivera and Frida Rivera
Libr
ary
of C
ongr
ess,
Prin
ts &
Pho
togr
aphs
Div
isio
n, C
arl V
an V
echt
en C
olle
ctio
n,
[rep
rodu
ctio
n nu
mbe
r LC
-US
Z62
-425
16]
