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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

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