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  • Essay / Contextual Analysis of Frida Kahlo's Deux Fridas

    Las Dos Fridas, which translates into English as The Two Fridas, was painted by the famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. The oil painting features two versions of Frida, her Mexican background and her white background, holding hands and connected by a vein. Even today, people continue to appreciate Kahlo's works because of the honesty she displays in her paintings. Frida Kahlo pours her heart into Las Dos Fridas to transform the inner turmoil she faced with her cultural identity and love life into an oil painting for all to see. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay In her painting, Kahlo uses a combination of formal elements and composition to express the meaning of the painting. As seen in the painting, both Fridas are sitting upright, which may represent vertical lines. The vertical lines imply that Frida longed for the love of her life, Diego Rivera. The native Frida can be seen wearing warm and cool colors such as yellow and blue which make her appear vibrant, while the Caucasian Frida's clothing is neutral colors like cream and white. The background uses a black, gray and white color combination while the ground is an earthy color. Kahlo uses lighting techniques to add volume to both characters. This makes the Fridas look more 3D. The Mexican painter implements linear perspective in her painting, the vanishing point being the union of their hands. The Two Fridas represent Kahlo's internal struggle with her dual heritage. An artery connects her two hearts, thus connecting the two cultures, which is also represented by her different clothes: a traditional Tehuana dress and a European lace dress. The iconography of hearts, a widely used indigenous symbol, could also represent her endurance of mental and physical pain as a European and indigenous woman, thus symbolizing her inevitable and unavoidable suffering. It is his European counterpart who cuts the blood vessel in the painting, perhaps a reminder of his many surgeries and abortion experiences, but also of death and the eventual denial of his European roots. Her native self appears to be heartbroken (it is painted shortly after her divorce) and is holding a small painting of her ex-husband Rivera; Kahlo, saddened, pants the hand of her Western self. This display of solidarity demonstrates his ultimate acceptance of his dual heritage and is perhaps an acknowledgment of the undeniable stain that imperial influences have left on his country despite its nationalist cause. Most of Kahlo's works are based on her personal life experiences: "Frida Kahlo's art is often said to be her autobiography." Those who criticize his work would say “more obstetrical than aesthetic”. Frida Kahlo was inspired to paint Las Dos Fridas following her divorce from Diego Rivera. The way Kahlo would describe Rivera was as "'her other accident,' due to the turbulent relationship the couple had." As previously stated, the artist paints his opposing cultural identities. The Caucasian Frida has a disguise, perfect posture and no mustache. This Frida conformed to society's expectations of women. On the right, the native Frida, in touch with her Mexican roots. She is sitting with both legs spread and her back bent. This Frida does not worry about pleasing society and lives carefree. In the hand of the native Frida is a photo of Diego Rivera who loved this side of Frida. His image is, 331(7511), 297-297.