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June2002

RespondtothisArticle

TheTroubleWithFrida
Kahlo
Uncomfortabletruthsaboutthisseason'shottestfemale
artist.
ByStephanieMencimer

IfonlyIhadbeenbornadecadeortwolater.As
a6thgraderin1981,insteadofenduringtaunts
aboutmyemergingmustache,Icouldhavefound
myselfinhighstyle,mockingthosepoorstylish
Hollywoodblondeswhoarenowstrugglingto
growpeachfuzzastheymimicthestyleofthe
lateMexicanpaintercumiconFridaKahlo,who
wassoproudofherluxuriousfacialhairthatshe
painteditrightontoherselfportraits.Myself
esteemcouldhavebeenbolsteredbyanynumber
ofFridastorybooks,paperdolls,andartkitsnow
availableformillennialchildreninneedofa
unibrowedrolemodel.Thankstoan
extraordinarilyenduringrunof"Fridamania,"the
mustacheandtheunibrowhavebecomevogue
particularlyamongmuseumgoersvisitinga
recentexhibitofKahlo'spaintings(alongwiththoseofGeorgiaO'KeeffeandEmily
Carr)atWashington'sNationalMuseumofWomenintheArts(NMWA).Sporting
theirownunibrows,theyleavewithnewFridatotebagsfullofFridamemorabilia:
Fridawatches,the"martyrmousepad,"dolls,fulllengthwallhangings,books,
pocketbookmirrors,photoboxes,anddressingscreens.
NeverhasawomanwithamustachebeensoreveredorsomarketedasFrida
Kahlo.LikeafemaleCheGuevara,shehasbecomeacottageindustry.Inthepast
year,VolvohasusedherselfportraitstosellcarstoHispanics,theU.S.Postal
Serviceputheronastamp,andTimemagazineputheronitscover.Therehave
beenFridalookalikecontests,Fridaoperas,plays,documentaries,novels,a
cookbook,andnow,anEnglishlanguagemovie.MexicanbeautySalmaHayek
recentlydebutedasFridaattheCannesfilmfestival(reportedlyplayingtherole
mustachioed,despiteprotestsfromHollywood).Hayek,whowrestledtheroleaway
fromMadonnaandJenniferLopez,willjoinastarstuddedcastthatincludesLatin
LotharioAntonioBanderas.
TheKahloculthasbeenwelldocumentedsinceitfirstemergedintheearly1990s.
Backthen,theartistwasmakingheadlinesbecauseherpaintingswerebreaking
records,fetchingupto$1millionatauction,thanksinnosmallparttoMadonna,an
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avidcollectorwhoclaimsto"identifywithherpainandhersadness."Today,those
paintingshavewildlysurpassedthatmark,breaking$10millionapricethatputs
KahloinaleaguewithPicasso,Pollock,andWarhol.
WhatlookedlikeafadadecadeagohasonlygrownstrongerasKahlohasbeen
embracedasaposterchildforeverypossiblepoliticallycorrectcause.By1998,
CosmopolitanmagazinewasurgingwomentoreadKahlo'sbiographyasoneof10
waysto"celebrateNationalWomen'sMonth."Inanewbookofessayscelebrating
resistancetotheevilsofglobalcapitalism,JohnBergerwritesanhomagetoKahlo
saying,"Thatshebecameaworldlegendisinpartduetothefactthat...underthe
newworldorder,thesharingofpainisoneoftheessentialpreconditionsfora
refindingofdignityandhope."
ThefledglingNMWAhasbrokenallboxofficerecordswithitsrecentshow,
drawingmorethan28,000visitors,inlargepartduetotheKahlopilgrims.Susan
FisherSterling,NMWA'schiefcurator,says"Eachgroupseemstofindsome
validationinKahlo.Insomewayswe'reobsessedwithourselvesandsexuality.
Kahlowasverymuchapartofthatnarcissisticbodyculture."
Kahlo'sartistopaintingwhatthememoiristoliteratureselfabsorbed,
confessional,andhardtodismissasaflashinthepan."FridaKahlohasbeenthe
rightartistattherighttime,"saysGregorioLuke,directoroftheMuseumofLatin
AmericanArt(MoLAA)inCalifornia.
FeministsmightcelebrateKahlo'sascenttogreatnessifonlyherfamewererelated
toherart.Instead,herfansarelargelydrawnbythestoryofherlife,forwhichher
paintingsareoftenpresentedassimpleillustration.Fridamaniacsareinspiredby
Kahlo'stragictaleofphysicalsufferingpolioatsix,grislyaccidentat18and
fascinatedwithherglamorousfriendsandlovers,amongthemphotographerand
SovietspyTinaModottiandLeonTrotsky.It'sthestuffthatdrivesHollywood,and
thekindofstorythathasbecomederigueurforenteringthepantheonof"great"
artists.
But,likeagameoftelephone,themoreKahlo'sstoryhasbeentold,themoreithas
beendistorted,omittinguncomfortabledetailsthatshowhertobeafarmore
complexandflawedfigurethanthemoviesandcookbookssuggest.Thiselevation
oftheartistovertheartdiminishesthepublicunderstandingofKahlo'splacein
historyandovershadowsthedeeperandmoredisturbingtruthsinherwork.Even
moretroubling,though,isthatbyairbrushingherbiography,Kahlo'spromoters
havesetherupfortheinevitablefallsotypicalofwomenartists,thattimewhenthe
contrarianswillbandtogetherandtakesportinshootingdownherinflatedimage,
andwithit,herart.
EnteringtheBoy'sClub
TheinflationoftheartistovertheartiscertainlynotuniquetoKahlo.Astheold
sayinggoes,thereisnogreatart,onlygreatartists.Arthistoryhasfocusedonthe
personalitiesoftheartistasfarbackas1435,andevenmoresoafterthearrivalof
Caravaggio,whowasforcedtofleeRomein1606afterstabbingayoungmanto
deathinadisputeoveratennisscore.Caravaggiohelpedcementtheromanticideal
oftheartistastroubledrogueandbohemianwhofloutsthenormsofpolitesociety.
ThatartistictraditionhasmadegoodfodderforscreenwritersthelivesofJackson
Pollock,JeanMichaelBasquiat,vanGogh,andMichelangelohaveallbeen
immortalizedonfilm.Implicit,too,inthesebiopicsisthenotionthatartistsmust
suffertoexperiencethedeepemotionthatinfusestheirart."Thestoryofgreat
artistsisthattheysufferduringtheirlivesandthentheirartisrecognizedasgreat
aftertheirdeath,"saysMargaretLindauer,professoratArizonaStateUniversity
andauthorofDevouringFrida:TheArtHistoryandPopularCelebrityofFrida
Kahlo.
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Untilthe1970s,though,therewerealmostno"great"womenartists,andvirtually
noliteraturedescribingwhereandhowtheymighthavefitintothehistoryof
Westernart.Asthefeministmovementgatheredsteam,womensoughttorectify
thatproblem,butitwasadifficultproject.Historically,women'slimited
opportunitiesmeanttherewerefewwomenartiststobeginwith,andevenfewer
whoseworkhadbeencollectedandcouldbedefinitivelyattributedtothem.(Male
artistsandscholarshave,overthecenturies,madeahabitofappropriatingthework
oftalentedwomenorattributingittomen.)Oncescholarsdididentifysignificant
womenartists,theyhadtodemonstratethatthoseartistsmetthemalestandardsfor
admissiontothecanoni.e.,theyhadtosufferandbemostlyignoredduringtheir
lifetimes.Thisbeingthemalecanon,itwasalsohelpfuliftheemergingfemale
artistswerebeautifulandhadglamorousfriends.
Kahlomadeaperfectcandidate.Shedidn'tlopoffanear,butKahlohadahorrific
story.In1925,whenshewas18,shewasridingabusinMexicoCitywhenitwas
struckbyatrolleycar.Ametalhandrailpiercedherabdomen,exitingthroughher
vagina.Herspinalcolumnwasbrokeninthreeplaces.Hercollarbone,someribs,
andherpelviswerebroken,andherrightlegwasfracturedin11places.Herfoot
wasdislocatedandcrushed.Noonethoughtshewouldlive,muchlesswalkagain,
but,afteramonthinthehospital,shewenthome.Encasedformonthsinplaster
bodycasts,Kahlobegantopaintlyinginbedwithaspecialeaselriggedupbyher
mother.Withthehelpofamirror,Kahlobeganpaintinghertrademarksubject:
herself.Ofthe150orsoofherworksthathavesurvived,mostareselfportraits.As
shelatersaid,"IpaintmyselfbecauseIamsooftenalone,becauseIamthesubject
Iknowbest."
Asifherbodilyinjuriesweren'tcompellingenough,Kahlo'sdramaaswellasher
artwasenhancedbywhatshereferredtoasthesecondaccidentinherlife:Diego
Rivera,thefamousMexicanmuralisttowhomshewasmarriedfor25years.Rivera
wasanotoriouswomanizer,ahabithedidnotabandonaftermarryingKahlo,his
thirdwife.LegendhasitthatforAmericanwomentravelingtoMexico,havingsex
withRiverawasconsideredasessentialasvisitingTenochtitlan.The300pound
RiveraevenhadanaffairwithKahlo'ssisterChristina.(Kahlo,inturn,hadherown
affairswithmenandwomen.)
BothKahloandRiverawereactiveintheCommunistPartyandMexicanpolitics.
Moreimportantly,whenKahlometRivera,hewasaleadingproponentofapost
revolutionarymovementknownasMexicanidad,whichrejectedWesternEuropean
influencesandthe"easelart"ofthearistocracyinfavorofallthingsconsidered
"authentically"Mexican,suchaspeasanthandicraftsandpreColumbianart.Kahlo
alsobecameadiehardadherent,adoptinghernowfamoustraditionalMexican
costumeslongskirtsanddresses,whichalsohadthepracticaleffectofcoveringup
herpoliowitheredleg.Rejecting,too,conventionalstandardsofbeauty,Kahlonot
onlydidn'tpluckherunibrowormustache,shegroomedthemwithspecialtools
andevenpenciledthemdarker.
Likewise,herpaintings,rootedin19thcenturyMexicanportraiture,ingeniously
incorporatedelementsofMexicanpopcultureandpreColumbianprimitivismthat,
inthe1930s,hadneverbeendonebefore.Usuallysmall,intimatepaintingsthat
contrastedwiththegrandmuraltraditionofhertime,herworkwasoftendoneon
sheetmetalratherthancanvas,inthestyleofMexicanstreetartistswhopainted
retablos,orsmallvotivepaintingsthatofferthankstotheVirginMaryorasaintfor
amiraculousdeliverancefrommisfortune.
ThepaintingsoftenreflecthertumultuousrelationshipwithRivera,aswellasthe
anguishofhereverdeterioratinghealth.Betweenthetimeofheraccidentandher
death,Kahlohadmorethan30surgeries,andagangrenouslegwaseventually
amputated.Shedramatizedthepaininherpaintings,whilecarefullycultivatinga
selfimageasa"heroicsufferer."
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WhileRiverawaspaintingmuralsattheDetroitInstituteofArtsin1932,Kahlohad
amiscarriage,whichpromptedhertopaintsomeofthemostgruesomeoftheself
portraitsthatlatersealedherreputationasoneofthemostoriginalpaintersofher
time.DuringthosemonthsinDetroit,shebroketaboosandpaintedhermiscarriage
aswellasaworkentitled"MyBirth,"astartlinglookatapartiallycovered
woman'sbodywithKahlo'sbloodiedheadburstingoutofthevagina.(Madonna,
naturally,nowownsthatone.)Inhisautobiography,Riverasaid,"Fridabeganwork
onaseriesofmasterpieceswhichhadnoprecedentinthehistoryofartpaintings
whichexaltedthefemininequalitiesofenduranceoftruth,reality,cruelty,and
suffering.NeverbeforehadawomanputsuchagonizedpoetryoncanvasasFrida
didatthistimeinDetroit."
WhileKahlo'sworkneverattractedtheattentionherhusband'sdid,itdidwinsome
criticalacclaim.ThegreatsurrealistAndreBretoncametoMexicoandfellinlove
withKahlo'swork(andKahlo),callingit"aribbonaroundabomb."Hearranged
forhertoshowherworkinNewYorkin1938oneofonlytwoshowsduringher
lifetime.Eventually,though,herfailinghealthleftheraddictedtopainkillersand
alcohol.Shecontinuedtopaint,buttheaddictiondestroyedthecontrolled,delicate
brushworkthathadcharacterizedherbestwork.In1954,sufferingfrom
pneumonia,KahlowenttoaCommunistmarchtoprotesttheU.S.subversionofthe
leftwingGuatemalangovernment.Fourdayslater,shediedinwhatmayormay
nothavebeenasuicide.
RevivingtheCultofPersonality
Kahlolargelydisappearedfromthemainstreamartworldforalmost30years,until
HaydenHerrera'sfamous1983biography.Whenitwaspublished,therewasn'ta
singlemonographofKahlo'sworktoshowpeoplewhatitlookedlike,butthe
biography,whichcouldhavebeenthebasisforaUnivisiontelenovela,sparkeda
Fridafrenzy.By1991,theMetropolitanMuseumofArtwasusingherselfportrait
toadvertiseanexhibitonthesideofNewYorkCitybuses.
Today,Kahlo'slegendismuchmoreakintothatofEvitaPeronthanofvanGogh.
(It'snocoincidencethatwhenMadonnawasunabletoplayKahloinamovie10
yearsago,shewentontostarasEvita.)AmongalltheKahlotchotchkesnowon
saleattheNMWAgiftshop,onlyherselfportraitsadornthefridgemagnets,not
"MyBirth,"or"AFewSmallNips,"adisturbingimageofableedingwomanlying
onabedwithamanstandingoverherwieldingastiletto.Kahlo'svisagehas
becomeasymbolinitsownrightatrendevidentinthenumberofartistsnow
creatingtributestoher.ChicanoartistsinCaliforniahavebeenincorporatingher
imageintotheirmuralssincethe1970sincelebrationsoftheirheritage.Butthe
practicehasbecomesocommonthattheJapaneseperformanceartistanddrag
queenYasumasaMorimurarecentlydidashowcalled"AnInnerDialoguewith
FridaKahlo,"inwhichhepaintedhimselfasKahloselfportraits.
PlentyofpeoplehavebeenthrilledbyFridamania,andnotjustbecauseitmay
representafeministtriumph."Idon'tnecessarilythinkthattheexcessivepopularity
ofanartistisabadthing,"saysMoLAA'sGregorioLuke."Youcanagreeor
disagreewiththesideshow,themarketingofitall.Butweneedayounger
generationtogetinvolvedintheartworld,andshedrawsthemin.Youngpeople
dresslikeher.It'safad,butawelcomeone."
Hemightalsomentionthatit'saprofitableone,asKahlo'siconstatushasdrivenup
thevalueofherwork,givingmuseumssomethingbesidestheubiquitous
Impressionistshowstodrawlargecrowdsandginupgiftshopsales.But
Fridamaniadoeshaveitsdownside,revealingparticulardangersfortheworkof
womenartistswhoaretreatedasphenomenaratherthansimplyasartists.
Kahlo'smoveintothecultofpersonalityisafamiliarpatterninwhichwomenstop
beingtheartistandbecomethesubjectofart,transformedfromapowerfulcreative
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forcetoanidealofquietlysufferingfemininity.InherbookWomen,Artand
Society,WhitneyChadwicktracesthetrendbacktothe16thcentury,withstories
likethatofMariettaRobusti,theeldestdaughteroftheVenetianpainterTintoretto.
Robustiworkedfulltimeinherfather'sworkshopfor15years,developingskills
thatwereconsideredindistinguishablefromthegreatmaster's.Herfameasa
portraitpainterearnedhertherespectofemperorsandthedevotionofherfather.
Afterherdeathduringchildbirthatage30,Robustibecameasubjectoffascination
forotherartistsandwriters,notbecauseofhergreatwork,butbecauseofhertragic
ending.AccordingtoChadwick,Romanticartistsofthe19thcenturytransformed
Robustifromagiftedprodigyinto"atubercularheroinepassivelyexpiringasshe
stimulatedherfathertonewcreativeheights."
Somefeministarthistorianshavestruggledagainstsuchreworkingsofwomen
artists,butKahlo'spopculturemaniarevivesitwithavengeance.Kahlocertainly
facilitatedthisprocessbypaintingherselfasthequietlysufferingfemale.Inevery
possiblesense,themasscultureKahloembodiesthatnowpoisonousterm:
victimhood.Shewasthevictimofpatriarchalculture,victimofanunfaithful
husband,andsimplythevictimofahorrificaccident.Butthat'sprobablyone
reasonwhyshe'ssopopular."Peopleliketoseewomenasvictims,"saysMary
Garrard,aprofessorofarthistoryatAmericanUniversity.
JustLikeaWoman
Theartestablishment'sdemandfortragicbioasaprerequisiteforgreatnesshas
giventalentedwomenartistswingsofwax.TakethecaseofArtemisiaGentileschi,
whomTheNewYorkTimesdubbed"thisseason'sit'girl,"afteranexhibitionof
herworkopenedinFebruaryattheMetropolitanMuseumofArt.
BorninRomein1593,ArtemisiawasthedaughterofOrazioGentileschi,oneof
Caravaggio'smostimportantfollowers.Artemisiaisthefirstwomanartistinthe
historyofWesternartwhosehistoricalsignificanceisunquestionable.Shealsohad
agoodstory.In1612,shewasrapedbyoneofherfather'sassistants,which
promptedanO.J.styletrialduringwhichtheteenageArtemisiawastorturedwith
thumbscrewstoestablishthetruthofherstatements.Despiteherordeal,shewent
ontobecomefamousasanartistduringherlifetime,andwasthefirstwoman
admittedtothefamedAccademiadell'ArtedelDisegnoinFlorence.Shewasoneof
feministscholars'firstrediscoveriesinthe1970s.But,asisthepattern,muchof
Artemisia'srecentcelebrityhasnotcomefromherartbutfromherstory,whichhas
inspiredanumberofplays,movies,andbooks,includingSusanVreeland'srecent
novel,ThePassionofArtemisia,andtheplay"LapisBlueBloodRed,"which
openedinNewYorkinmidFebruary.
UnlikethefawningreverenceaccordedKahlo,though,Artemisia'sworkisnow
takingsomethingofabeating,particularlyfromtheMetexhibit,whichiscurated
withahighlyskepticalviewofhercontributionstoWesternart.Metcuratorand
spokesmanKeithChristiansenhassaidthatfeminists,preoccupiedwithher
biographyandvictimhood,haveexaggeratedArtemisia'sachievement.Sheis,inhis
estimation,amediocreartist.
YetChristiansenseemstobereactingmoretothepopcultureinflationoftheartist
thantotheartitself.Hercelebritynotwithstanding,Artemisiaisanimportantfigure
inarthistory,havingpaintedwomeninawaynooneeverhadbeforeher.Her
"JudithSlayingHolofernes,"forinstance,showsamuscularJudithhackingoff
Holofernes'shead.Previouspaintingsofthestorybymen(andthereweremany)
hadalwaysportrayedasqueamishJudithtakingagingerlyapproachtohergrisly
task,asbefittingtheirviewofwomen.Ifnothingelse,Artemisiacoulddo
somethingmenoftheAccademiawerenotallowedto:Shepaintedwomenfrom
nudefemalemodels,makingherallnudepaintingsofSusannaandCleopatrarare
worksforthattime.
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ThebacklashoverArtemisiaillustratesanartisticdoublestandard:Thefemaleartist
needsacompellingtragicbiographytoenterthemalecanon,yetherworkisthen
trivializedbecauseofthatbiographysomethingthatrarelyhappenstomen.Critics
havecomplainedabouttheoveremphasisonbiographyinartmarketingby
promotersofvanGogh.ButasGarrardpointsout,nobodyeversaysvanGoghis
overrated."It'sthewomen'sartists'reputationsthatarealwaysvulnerable,"she
says.
TheRiseBeforetheFall
KahlowillnodoubtsufferthesamefateasArtemisiaalthoughit'satestamentto
herworkthatthebacklashhasn'tcomesooner.Atthesametime,Kahlo'swork
mightbenefitfromaclearerexaminationthatfocuseslessonherpaintingas
autobiography.TheNMWAexhibitisagoodexampleofhowthecurrentviewof
Kahlooftenfailstoacknowledgethatperhapsherimagestranscendautobiography
andspeaktouniversalthemes,asallgreatartshould.WalkthroughtheNMWA's
exhibit,andyou'llseethatevenKahlo'sstilllifepaintingsaretreatedasa
reflectionofherpersonallife.The"openfruit,"we'retold,depictheraggressive
sexualityandobsessionwithfertility,asdothemonkeysinherselfportraits,even
thoughshehadthemaspets.(Apparentlyherpetdog,whichshealsopainted,
carriesnosuchconnotations.)
Thiskindofanalysis,whichisjustasoftenarticulatedbywomenasbymen,
followsanotherlongtraditioninartcriticismofattributingstereotypicalfemale
valuestotheworkofwomenpaintersanderoticizingtheirsubjects,regardlessof
howthepaintersintendedtheworktoberead.Forinstance,oneofthecommon
interpretationsofKahlo'sworkisthatitdemonstrateshowmuchshemournedher
inabilitytohavechildren.Herrerawrites,"Manyofherpaintingsexpressthis
fascinationwithprocreation,andsomedirectlyreflectherdespairatnothaving
children.Oneofthemostmovingofthelatteris'MeandMyDoll,'paintedin1937.
"Yetthatpaintingishardlytheimageyou'dexpectfromsomeonedesperatefor
motherhood.ItisaselfportraitofKahlosittingonabednexttoalifelesslooking
child/doll.Sheissmokingacigaretteandlooksbored,andissittingsomedistance
fromthechildonthebedareflectionof,perhaps,herreallackofmaternal
instincts.Herotherimagesofchildbirthandpregnancyaresomeofthemostviolent
anddisturbingevertograceacanvas.
ArizonaStateUniversity'sLindauerhasarguedthatnowhereinKahlo'slettersdoes
sherevealadeeplongingforchildren,andthatwhateverregretsshedidexpress
publiclymayhavebeenbecauseherculturedemandedthem.Infact,Kahlo'sletters
reflectdeepambivalenceifnotoutrightrejectionofhavingchildren,ifonly
becausesherecognizedthatchildrenwoulddistractRiverafromhisworkandfrom
her.Shevolunteeredforanabortionafteroneofherpregnanciespartlybecauseof
this.Whenshegotpregnantagain,sheconsideredanotherone,butendeduphaving
amiscarriageafterintentionallydisobeyingdoctors'orderstostayinbed.(Shetook
drivinglessonsinstead.)
Whileit'simpossibletoknowwhetherKahlo'sinjurieswouldhaveallowedherto
bringthechildtotermevenifshehadstayedinbed,herbehaviorishardlythatofa
womanlongingforababy.ThecurrentviewofKahlo'sworkseemsmorea
reflectionofourcurrenthysteriaoverchildlessprofessionalwomenthananything
intheart."Peoplemakeherascreenfortheirprojections,"saysChadwick,nowa
fellowattheClarkArtInstituteandaprofessorofartatSanFranciscoState
University.
It'sentirelypossiblethatKahlowasconflicted,experiencingbothlongingfor
motherhoodandreliefatnothavingtoendureitasentimentmanywomensurely
recognize.Yetthatviewwoulddetractfromthehagiography."If[Kahlo's]
paintingswerelookedatclosely,shewouldbecomeadangerouswoman,"says
Lindauer,explainingthatKahlo'spaintingsactuallychallengelotsoffeminine
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ideals.Iftheyreallytookagoodlookatherart,sheadds,"Peoplewouldbeless
comfortablebuyingherfridgemagnets."
Becauseshediedyoung,at47,Kahloneverhadachancetorepudiatesomeofthe
interpretationsofherworkasdidGeorgiaO'Keeffe,whooncethreatenedtoquit
paintingifcriticskeptimbuingherflowerpaintingswithFreudianinterpretations.
"Shedidn'twantherflowerpaintingstobeidentifiedastheessenceof
womanhood,"saystheNMWA'sFisher.
Biography,WartsandAll
Ifthefocusoftheartbusinessmustbeonbiography,thatbiographyshouldatleast
includetheartists'warts.Trulygreatartists,afterall,cansurvivesuchscrutiny.But,
becauseitseemsawomanmustbecomeasainttogainadmittancetotheMet,there
isagreattendencybyKahlo'smarketerstooverlookthelessappealingpartofthat
biography.It'ssimilartothewaytheleftlikestoignorethefactthattheGuatemalan
NobellaureateRigobertaMenchuinventedmuchofhermemoir.Heroismserves
thecause,andthereismuchofKahlo'slifethatisnotheroic.
Manyofhersurgeriesmayhavebeenunnecessary.EvenHerreranotes,"IfFrida's
physicalproblemshadbeenasgraveasshemadeout,shewouldneverhavebeen
abletotranslatethemintoart."Kahlo'sclosefriend,thefamousdoctorLeo
Eloesser,believedthatsheusedhermanysurgeriestogetattentionfrompeople,
particularlyfromRivera.There'snodoubtthatshewasobsessedwithhiminaway
thatshouldmakefeministscringe.Shealsomadeseveralsuicideattemptsandspent
muchofheradultlifeaddictedtodrugsandalcohol.
Moreimportantly,though,Kahlo'sCommunismnowtreatedassomehowsortof
quaintledhertoembracesomeunforgivablepoliticalpositions.In1936,Rivera,a
dedicatedTrotskyite,usedhisclouttopetitiontheMexicangovernmenttogive
TrotskyandhiswifeasylumaftertheywereforcedoutofNorway.Riveraand
KahloputuptheTrotskysinKahlo'sfamilyhome,whereKahloseducedtheolder
man.(ShepaintedaselfportraitdedicatedtohimthatnowhangsinWashington's
NMWA.)
AfterTrotskywasassassinated,however,Kahloturnedonheroldloverwitha
vengeance,claiminginaninterviewthatTrotskywasacowardandhadstolenfrom
herwhilehestayedinherhouse(whichwasn'ttrue)."Heirritatedmefromthetime
thathearrivedwithhispretentiousness,hispedantrybecausehethoughthewasa
bigdeal,"shesaid.
RarelyisthisunflatteringdetailincludedinthecondensedKahlostory.Noristhe
factthatKahloturnedonTrotskybecauseshehadbecomeadevoutStalinist.Kahlo
continuedtoworshipStalinevenafterithadbecomecommonknowledgethathe
wasresponsibleforthedeathsofmillionsofpeople,nottomentionTrotsky
himself.OneofKahlo'slastpaintingswascalled"StalinandI,"andherdiaryisfull
ofheradolescentscribblings("VivaStalin!")aboutStalinandherdesiretomeet
him.LessscandalousbutworthnotingisthatKahlodespisedtheverygringoswho
nowchampionherwork,andherartreflectsherobviousdisdainfortheUnited
States.OnewonderswhatthepostalservicewasthinkingwhenitputKahloona
stamp."Visasaredeniedto[foreign]artistswithFridaKahlo'spolitics,"notes
Chadwick.
Sinceherrediscoveryinthe1970s,oneofthefewpeopletoopenlycriticizeKahlo
forherpoliticswasherfellowcountryman,thelateNobellaureateOctavioPaz.In
EssaysonMexicanArt,hequestionswhethersomeonecouldbebothagreatartist
and"adespicablecur."Intheend,hesaystheycan,butsuggeststhat,becauseof
thewaytheyembracedStalin,"DiegoandFridaoughtnottobesubjectsof
beatificationbutobjectsofstudyandofrepentance...theweaknesses,taints,and
defectsthatshowupintheworksofDiegoandFridaaremoralinorigin.Thetwo
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ofthembetrayedtheirgreatgifts,andthiscanbeseenintheirpainting.Anartist
maycommitpoliticalerrorsandevencommoncrimes,butthetrulygreatartists
VillonorPound,CaravaggioorGoyapayfortheirmistakesandtherebyredeem
theirartandtheirhonor."
It'snotanomissionnecessarilyinherenttowomen'sartPabloNeruda,thebeloved
leftwingChileanpoet,wrotepoemstoStalin,whicharealmostneverreproduced
inbooksofhispoetry.Butneglectingthedarksideoftheartist'snarrativedeprives
thepublicofafullappreciationoftheart.Withoutknowingthatby1953Kahlowas
sostrungoutthatshecouldbarelypickupapaintbrush,howcanthepublic
possiblyknowwhysomeofherlateworkissobad?Acasualobservermight
insteadsimplyconcludeafterlookingatoneparticularlysloppy,scratchedup
canvasintheNMWAexhibit,thatperhapsherworkisoverrated.Themuseum,
afterall,doesn'tprovideareasontothinkotherwise.
WhichisthereallytragicpartofKahlo'sstory.Becausewhenyousweepawaythe
sideshow,ignoretheoverwroughtanalysis,andtakeahardlookatwhatshe
painted,muchofitisextraordinary.Herpaintingstapintosexandviolence,lifeand
death,inoriginalandprofoundways."SuicideofDorothyHale,"forinstance,one
ofherlesserknownworks,wascommissionedin1939byClareBoothLuceafter
herbeautifulfriendhadthrownherselffromherNewYorkpenthouse.Hale's
bleedingcorpseisshownsmashedatthebaseofthehighrise,stilllookingstunning
inablackcocktaildress.Oneshoelessfootispaintedasifhangingofftheframe,
whichisitselfpaintedtolooksplatteredwithblood.Itssurrealistinfluencesare
apparent,asarehintsoftheretablostyle.RatherthansoftenHale'ssuicidewith
Americanstyleeuphemism,KahlousedtheMexicantraditionofplacingdeath
frontandcenter,inallitshorror.Thepainting,evenreproducedinblackandwhite,
asitisinHerrera'sbook,makesyoustareguiltilythewayyoumightdrivingpasta
caraccident.Fewpaintingshavesuchpower.
AsGregorioLukeexplains,"Herworkisveryinclusive.Shewasableto
incorporateelementsofpopculture,Indian,Aztecmythology,surrealism,awhole
varietyofthingsinwhichmanypeoplecanidentify.Sheisthemulticulturalartist
parexcellence."
SowhilewomenmightcelebrateKahlo'ssuccess,itmaybethatrealprogresshas
comewhenawomancanberememberedbothasagreatartistandasadespicable
cur.Becauseintheend,asGarrardnotes,"Lifeisinteresting,butartiswhatthe
interestingpersonmade."
StephanieMencimerisaneditorofTheWashingtonMonthly.
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