Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo self portraitFridaFrida KahloKahlo was an artist,artist, born in 1907, who livedlived in the city of CoyoacànCoyoacàn in Mexico,Mexico, with her parentsparents and six sisters.

She caught poliopolio when she was six years old and this damageddamaged her right leg. Then, when she was 18, she was in a terribleterrible bus accidentaccident which nearlynearly killedkilled her. She had fracturesfractures to her spine, collarbone,collarbone, ribs, a shatteredshattered pelvis,pelvis, shoulder,shoulder,  knee and foot. An iron railingrailing went right through her body. These injuryinjuries meantmeant that she was alwaysalways in pain, was in and out of hospitalhospital all through her life, and she could never have children. You can feel the pain, sorrowsorrow and isolationisolation she sufferedsuffered in her art.

She was famousfamous for her self-portraits, which usedused bright, vibrantvibrant colours.colours. She said that she preferredpreferred to paint self-portraits because she was alonealone so much and because she knew herselfherself best as a subjectsubject for her painting.

She did marrymarry anotheranother MexicanMexican artist,artist, DiegoDiego Rivera,Rivera, but it was not alwaysalways a good marriage as they fought a lot and were not always faithfulfaithful to each other.

Frida stood up for womenwomen at a time when they didnotdidn't  have as many rights as they do now. She was alsoalso very interestedinterested in the indiginousindiginous peoplepeople of Mexico and usedused lots of symbolssymbols and signs from their cultureculture in her artwork.artwork. She did not like the way Mexico was being governedgoverned at the time which also affectedaffected her painting. An art criticcritic once describeddescribed her work as 'a ribbonribbon aroundaround a bomb'.

Frida died in 1954 when she was only 47 years old. By this time she could not walk anymoreanymore and was in a wheelchair.wheelchair. She died of pneumonia. Herpneumonia. Her last diarydiary entryentry said, "I hope the leaveleaving is joyfuljoyful and I hope never to return.'

Now, check out how to draw your own Frida Kahlo inspiredinspired self-portraits to illustrateillustrate your lettersletters to an alienalien friend, in the InstructionsInstructions menu.

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