Object Art Sunday, Mar 8 2009

The portrayal of objects in art has been utilised by many artists to convey a reflection of their time, culture or values. Three artworks that demonstrate this are Claesz’s ‘Vanitas Still Life’, Gris’s ‘The Sunblind’ and Fish’s ‘August and the Red Glass’. The way an object is represented relies heavily on the context in which the artist lived; including place, time, and significant events—whether personal or otherwise. The representations of the objects depicted in the artworks have changed over time according to the values of the artist and accepted traditions. This is evident through the differing elements of design throughout each artwork; with varying use of colour and tone, shape, texture and media.

‘Vanitas Still Life’ was completed in 1630ca, by Haarlem painter Pieter Claesz born in Burgsteinfurt, Westphalia (now Germany). His typical Dutch still life is a vanitas: “a lament about the transience of all things.” (Kren, Marx 2008, p.1) The word ‘vanitas’ is Latin, meaning ‘emptiness’ and loosely translated, corresponds to the meaninglessness of earthly life and the fleeting nature of vanity. It refers to the arts, learning and time, encouraging a sombre world view using certain objects to portray the futility of pleasure and the certainty of death. Objects are used for allegorical purposes: skulls, representing imminent death; rotten fruit; suggesting decay-like aging and bubbles, for the brevity of life. In ‘Vanitas Still Life,’ Claesz concentrates on the metaphysical criticism (philosophical study of the nature of being) of book knowledge and its futility in the face of eternity (Kren, Marx 2008, p.1). This is represented by a skull, enhanced with an overturned wine glass or ‘roemer’ with its fleeting reflections and an empty candle holder. The old books and quill embody the ‘claim of enlightenment’ that books contain knowledge and experience that is “permanently valid beyond the life-span of an individual is met with scepticism.” (Kren, Marx 2008, p.1) The hues of grey, brown and green create a monochrome impression to further symbolise the vanity of human endeavours. Claesz’s ‘Vanitas Still Life’ was painted at a time when the European book market was going through a phase of considerable expansion, thus increased knowledge among people leading to the belief that ‘knowledge is power;’ however against the intangible ubiquitousness of time, this assumption is comparatively insignificant. To portray the objects seen in the artwork in a manner suggesting emptiness and transience of materialistic things, colour, tone and composition have been utilised in the typical style found in vanitas of that time.

‘Vanitas Still Life’ is composed of monochromatic colours; more warmly toned then a literal image; as if bathed in yellow light. All the colours are analogous; for the most part brown and yellow, rendering the overall effect as harmonious and neutral. The colours also arouse very little emotion; rather they evoke age-old simplicity and abandonment. The artwork has a strong impression of stillness and meaningless composure; the vectors run horizontal causing very little visual movement. Tone has been utilised to create emphasis, mood, form and depth, and also elucidates the skull as the focal point of the artwork. The dark tones in both the foreground and background dictate a sombre mood; however the skull itself, directly associated with death, is cast in a spotlight and is lighter than the surrounding objects. This contributes to the weighty subject of death and pointless vanity, yet also lessens what would have otherwise have been an extremely morbid and flat painting. It is not only the tone and ‘spotlight’ on the skull that formulate it as the artworks focal point, but additionally the raised placement of the object, the partial isolation and comparatively larger size. The entire artwork is extremely naturalistic—there is neither distortion nor abstraction of shape or form. It is balanced in its composition, with an equal amount of positive and negative space, yet despite the lack of distinction in colour between the foreground and background and the absence of detail in the negative space, the foreground remains the focus.

‘The Sunblind’ was completed in 1914 by Spanish Cubism artist Juan Gris. Light slips through a venetian blind, casting a shadow from the wine glass onto the small table. The illusionistic appearance of the painted blind contrasts with the real newspaper, which Gris incorporated into his artwork. Le Socialiste des Pyrénées-Orientales was local to Collioure, a fishing town where he stayed in the summer of 1914. (Tate Collection 2004, p.1)

Gris may have included it to express his political allegiances. As this painting indicates, he was generally more concerned than other Cubist artists such as Braque and Picasso with preserving the appearance of reality in his works.

‘The Sunblind’ is dominantly analogously coloured, however it does comprise some complementary hues of blue, used mainly for contrast and tone. The colours, along with varied diagonal vectors dividing the space into geometric sections have created visual movement throughout the entire work. Changes in tone to create shadow are flat and blocky; there is little graduation from the warm to the cool hues. This enhances the stylised shapes, which following the technique of Cubism, the “subject matter is broken up, analysed, and reassembled in an abstracted form.” (Delahunt 2008, p.1) This has resulted in largely geometric shapes with rectilinear edges devoid of all depth, typical of Cubism-style art. The “papiers collés” style of collageing varying materials has rendered a variety of textures, some simulated and others literal; of wood grain, paper and blinds. The proportions of the objects and the viewing angles have been distorted greatly, to the point that the objects and shapes are angled into one another and distinction between each object is difficult. The minimal use of negative space further entangles the objects within one another; and the little negative space along the outer edges of the painting are blocked, flat colour that does not create a distinction between the foreground and background. There is no clear focal point; rather, the eye is drawn down the light vectors across the blind to the darker and busier centre area.

‘August and the Red Glass’ (1976) by American Contemporary Realist painter Janet Fish portrays glasses of different colours and shapes with an emphasis on colour, light, reflection and transparency. The abstract qualities of the forms are dominant with richly coloured and complexly fragments similar to a jigsaw puzzle, with intensely saturated sections painted to create visual movement and reflection. The busyness of the artwork is balanced by contrasting the painterly sections of colour and overlapping the variable shapes. The contrasting colours allow few areas of “neutral” colours necessary, with only intense, rich colours harmoniously utilised throughout the painting. The interesting composition of positive and negative space results in an unusual visual scale and spatial effects. This creates duality in the relationships of each shape and colour, ultimately making the form of the objects, with the small panels of white and lighter colours effortlessly forming the illusion of light. The aesthetic portrayal of the glasses utilised colour relationships, light, composition and space, similar to the Impressionist use of broken colour to construct form and compositions. Photorealism has evidently inspired Fish in her artworks; however Fish claims she is not a photorealistic painter, as she using multiple photographs to create the composition of her artworks. Fish has painted realistically but has heightened the impression of colour and light, manipulating the images to suit the composition and meaning of the artwork. (Doyle 2006, p.2)

The colours in ‘August and the Red Glass’ are intensely saturated, with tiny sections of arbitrary colours combining to create light reflection and visual movement. The sections of colour and the lines that enclose each shape and pattern on the glass cause visual movement, an interesting effect against the serene stillness of the overall image. The graduated tone from bright colours to white generates the appearance of reflection and transparency, in a realistic yet exaggerated manner. Such is the vibrancy of the artworks visual movement that focus is constantly being drawn around the image; however the darker red glass in the right foreground has subtle emphasis because of its richer hue and darker tones. The overall effect is one of liveliness and vibrancy, despite the literal stillness of the objects themselves, and holds great aesthetic appeal.

All three artworks have differences and similarities in their subject matter, emotions and materials. The artworks were made in different countries at different stages of history, and their appeal and symbolism are therefore different, however their relevance holds the same value today. ‘Vanitas Still Life’ is a painting of great philosophical meaning; abstracted in its symbolism yet naturalistic in its representation. It marks a time of great change in history; of new ways of thinking and methods of sharing knowledge. ‘The Sunblind’ differs in its subtle symbolism, fragmented Cubism techniques and simple aesthetic value. The objects used, differing from both the artworks, hold a more personal significance to the artist, yet it is so abstracted it overall holds an aesthetic value directly to the viewer. ‘August and the Red Glass’ marks another time in history all together; the use of an everyday object in such an aesthetic manner suggests the value people place on the look and design of an object, rather than its practicality. The bright, saturated colouring of the artwork and the importance of visual is greatly different from the mostly analogous colouring of both the artworks, and far removed from the extreme emotional and visual calm and emptiness ‘Vanitas Still Life’ generates. Although the objects used in each artwork differ greatly, a wine glass of some style is present in each. In ‘Vanitas Still Life’, this represents the futility of vanity and knowledge in the face of eternity, whilst in ‘August and the Red Glass’ it is mainly of aesthetic value. Each artwork represents objects marking a different stage in history, and therefore each holds equal significance and value today; as not only are they simply artworks, but a symbolic representation of the historic and personal stage of time in which they were created.

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Irresponsible parents downplay disaster Sunday, Feb 24 2008

Legend or moron: either way, the parents are to blame for Corey Worthington’s destructive behaviour.

                It was the scandalous party that had the world watching. He has been compared to the likes of rehab regular Lindsay Lohan and party frequenter Paris Hilton, causing $20000 worth of damage along with 500 other adolescents.

                Corey Worthington’s parents, Steve and Jo Delaney, are the only ones to be blamed for his clearly disrupted upbringing, resulting in his extreme behaviour.

                They are at first glance, the archetypal ‘devastated and shocked’ parents, ashamed of their son’s actions and deeply apologetic to their neighbours. They exude sympathy and regret.  How could their son have done such a thing?

                A recent letter by his parents however, compares Corey’s actions to that of a normal ‘young man growing up’. This throws light on his parents’ negligent decision to allow the high-school drop-out to stay home to ‘continue with his part-time job,’ rather than coming on a family holiday.

What capable parents would honestly believe that their 16 year old son could be trusted to responsibly stay at home while they were interstate? I certainly wouldn’t. ‘It is insane for any parent to leave their 16-year-old alone at home,’ confirms Dr Michael Carr-Gregg.  

Far from thinking that my son, would rampage up and down quiet suburbia with 499 of his mates, I also wouldn’t be as naive to expect that he would stay home and study.

                The idea that generation Y has somehow become rebellious and disrespectful of its own accord is preposterous.

The blame should be aimed at the teachers, the guiders, the leaders. Leading psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg confirms that ‘Mums and dads need to get their acts together… they like to pass the blame (onto their children). They need to parent.’

 While all teens develop their own personas, and need to take responsibility for their actions, a deeper review of the reasons behind their foolish behaviour is needed.

The role of the parents in the average family home is becoming less and less significant with each passing generation. The way that adolescents, whose brains are not fully ‘wired’, respond to this newfound abandonment is rebellion.

 Some teens put away their childhood too soon, and take on the roles, often without the responsibilities, of an adult. Pack away the toys, bring out the cigarettes.

For Corey, growing up is having freedom without the consequences.  Without the presence of parents, without a firm hand, he has lost all sense of direction, and logic is replaced with hot-headed thinking.

This disconnection with his family will only further increase his arrogance and sense of independence and self-importance.

His parents, who have obviously missed some crucial part of his upbringing, are now begging for his return, and for the forgiveness of the community. ‘(Parents) have to be aware that the impact that they have on their child is very significant and it doesn’t start with when they’re 16, it starts well before that, ‘says Inspector Steve Sonden.

Corey may have acted rashly and foolishly, but his parents were not there to prevent it. No one can expect them to have foreseen disaster, but as a parent, one needs to overcome the naivety of believing that your precious child will never go wrong.

It is not only Corey who needs to face the music. His parents too, need to step back and re-access the situation, and together, apologise for straying off the path.

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The Creation of Man Sunday, Feb 24 2008

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (more commonly known as Michelangelo) was born on March 6th, 1475 in Caprese, a small Florentine village in Italy. At the age of thirteen, after convincing his father, Michelangelo moved to Florence and was formally apprenticed to Domenico Ghirlandaio, a renowned painter for a term of three years. Michelangelo created works of art with his own style, and thus did not belong to a movement. He is a Renaissance artist, but is often regarded as ‘sui generis’ (being the only example of its kind; unique.) Michelangelo is considered a poet, sculptor, architect and painter, but preferred to think of himself as a sculptor. For this reason, his favoured materials were mainly marble and fresco and his most commonly used subjects were male nudes and religious figures. These are used in his most famous and major artistic achievements: The Sistine Chapel’s ceiling, the Statue of David, the Pieta, and the Basilica of Saint Peter. The chosen art work is called the Creation of Man, painted onto the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and considered Michelangelo’s greatest achievement.

Michelangelo’s The Creation of Man is a Renaissance- style fresco done in damp lime-wash on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Being a very religious era, the main subject is of a religious theme and depicts God and Adam reaching out towards each other moments before the power of life is given to Adam. This image is placed in the foreground, with God to the left side surrounded by what appears to be angels, women and infants. The Fresco has been painted with precision and detail, the carefully drawn lines meticulously and academically painted on to achieve a traditional, realistic image.

The Creation of Man was composed using the rule of thirds, the main focal point of the two hands connecting placed almost in the centre. To emphasize the hands, as well as being located in the middle they have been isolated from the figures and the background is a much paler shade then the rest. To bring your attention towards the direction of the connecting hands the arms are used to draw the eye towards the centre. The visual space is shallow as only the ground directly behind Adam can be seen. To create the feel of space, Michelangelo has made the background much lighter and less detailed. As the fresco is of a religious theme, a spiritual feel and a peaceful yet powerful mood was needed. To accomplish this, flowing, delicate and often wavy lines were used, and in certain areas such as the material flowing from the left-hand side, semi-transparent lines were used. As well as lines; light, tone and colour were important to create mood. Most of the colours are pale except in parts of the background, and areas on the figures have a lighter tone to create the look of light cast on them, giving a heavenly feel to the whole scene. Pale, pastel colours were used except in the background where they are deeper. Combined with soft-edged, delicate and natural shapes, this causes the overall look to be lighter, more calm and natural.

During his prolonged life, Michelangelo experienced great fame and respect for being arguably the most influential artist of the Renaissance era, possibly of all time. Although he embodied many characteristics of the Renaissance period, Michelangelo’s artworks show many individual qualities, to the point of eccentricity. As one of the most inspired artists in recorded history, he exerted a tremendous influence on his contemporaries and on Western art in general.

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Social Issues Art Sunday, Feb 24 2008

While social issues have changed throughout time, using art to portray or to question the issue at hand has been used by many artists to voice a political message or opinion. Many famous artworks have been based on a prominent social issue of the time, such as war, poverty or eating disorders. Such artworks include A Corridor in the Asylum, by Vincent Van Gogh, and We Are Not What We Seem, by Barbara Kruger. These artworks differ greatly, not only through the issue they’re based on, but also the perspective and the materials used. A Corridor in the Asylum is about mental illness and is from the artist’s perspective, who spent a number of years in a mental institution. We Are Not What We Seem, by Barbara Kruger, spreads a message about feminism and men’s attitude towards women.

Van Gogh and Kruger present varying subject matter and moods due to the different social issues and the perspective in which it is depicted. In Van Gogh’s A Corridor in the Asylum, a haunting, almost endless and nearly empty corridor is depicted, with a tiny figure making a quick exit halfway down the passage. The distance of the figure arouses the feelings of loneliness and isolation, whilst the enclosing walls generate the feeling of confinement. We Are Not What We Seem differs in subject matter and therefore emotions. A 1950’s glamour model is shown inserting a large contact lens into her eye, symbolising the need or desire to be someone different, and to live up to the materialistic views. The close proximity of the image stimulates a feeling of intrusion on a private moment. The image is divided into three parts, with the words ‘we are not what we seem’ written on the vertical interior borders. The left-hand section of the image shockingly contrasts with the middle section of the picture, depicting sadness, shame, and an overwhelming sense of insecurity and claustrophobia.

Both artists have exploited different materials and techniques to portray the subject matter. Van Gogh’s painting, A Corridor in the Asylum, was completed in black chalk and gouache on Ingres paper, and is neatly composed of short, straight lines using simular hues of yellows and browns. Unlike A Corridor in the Asylum, Kruger’s work is a digitally manipulated photographic silkscreen on vinyl, the photograph lacking in colour but sharply contrasted by the bold red tone of the border. Different elements and principles have been employed by the artists to convey the moods or emotions, and to create the central focus. A Corridor in the Asylum utilises space, balance and line to produce the mood of solitude. The painting is very symmetrical which gives the image a feeling of monotony; the space is enclosed and isolated, enhanced by the use of line which lengthens the image. Repetition of shape and colour also elongates the corridor and gives the painting a monotonous feel, reflective of Van Gogh’s feelings of his time spent there. The end of the corridor is the main focus, created by vectors along the corridor, drawing the eye to the end of the hall. Kruger’s We Are Not What We Seem utilises central placement and vectors dividing the space into three areas, the centre section containing the focal point, the contact lens. It creates a feeling of suffocation and intrusion, created by the use of line and space, and the lack of colour. Vectors are used through the interior borders, which consequently encloses the space further to generate the feeling of restriction. The use of black and white is a significant trait used in many of Kruger’s works, contrasting against the bold font and border, and tonal realism also assists in the feeling of claustrophobia, by somewhat dulling and flattening the image.

Van Gogh and Kruger present varying subject matter and moods due to the different social issues and the perspectives from which they are explored. A Corridor in the Asylum was created in France, 1889, in the style of Post-Impressionism. (Sandra L Bertman, 2006) Like most artists, Van Gogh adapted post-impressionism to make his own unique, recognisable style, and to create an emotionally charged response to the landscape. (Marc Doyle, 2007) Kruger’s is a Post-Modernism artwork, made in 1988 in the United States, and follows the style of Conceptual Art. (Phaidon Press Ltd., p256, 1996) Unlike Post-Impressionism, the most important aspect of Conceptual Art is the idea or concept, and the final product is usually emotionally dry and intellectually interesting. (Sol Lewitt, 1967) Post-Impressionism, however, is based on the objective recording of nature in terms of the fugitive effects of colour and light to create a highly emotional and personal perspective. (Encyclopædia Britannica, 2007) The artists have been able to convey their emotions and opinions using symbols and their experiences to express a message.

Van Gogh is able to render his feelings of isolation, separation and suffering during the last few years of his life spent at the asylum in St Rémy, France, the subject of the painting. (Sandra L Bertman, 2006) The duplication of shape and colour generates a feeling of repetition and the elongated, deserted corridor creates the feeling of isolation and being trapped. Kruger’s work, instead of giving a personal perspective on a subject, questions feminism and challenges cultural assumptions. A 1950’s glamour model is used to portray women and what is expected of them, the contact lens juxtaposing this, reinforced by the text, stating: “we are not what we seem.” Kruger’s work is inspired from twelve years as a designer and photo editor for Conde Nast Publications, and the images she uses are from mainstream magazines that sell the very ideas she is disputing. (Artprice, 2003)

Van Gogh and Kruger’s artworks both have similarities and differences in their subject matter, emotions and materials. Both artworks show the social issue from the victim’s point of view; whether from the artists’ perspective or from exposure to the social issue through other means. Van Gogh’s artwork is reflective of its time and place, when victims of mental illness were not well understood, and excluded from society. Kruger’s displays the need to live up to others expectations, and the private desire to break free of the stereotypes in a conformist culture. Although the emotions have similarities of enclosed space and confinement, they also have dissimilarities, as the subject matter of the two artworks differs. A Corridor in the Asylum is of great value to us today as it documents the final years of a great artist’s life through his eyes. It gives the audience an understanding of his traumas and tragedies through the sensitive, moody portrayal of his mental illness. Kruger’s work is valuable for different reasons; her art often making bold statements on feminism and stereotypes, We Are Not What We Seem takes a contrasting approach to the use of mainstream magazines to portray the social issues they often cause, spurring viewers to question the root of the issue. Kruger and Van Gogh have, using art, portrayed their knowledge and experiences of social issues and have exposed the deeper influences and emotions they create, making a lasting message more valuable than words alone.

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Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace, Hummingbird and Unibrow Sunday, Feb 24 2008

Frida Kahlo’s self-portrait entitled “Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace, Hummingbird and Unibrow” was created in 1940. It is a mixture of Realism, Symbolism and Surrealism, and was painted in Mexico City. Although her work is often classified as surrealism, she never considered herself a surrealist. “I paint my own reality,” she once said. (Johnson Lewis, 2005, Frida Kahlo Quotes) She was deeply influenced by indigenous Mexican culture, which surfaced in her paintings’ bright colours, dramatic symbolism, and unapologetic rendering of often harsh and gory content. Fifty-five of her 143 paintings were self-portraits, Kahlo’s preferred subject. “I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.” (Johnson Lewis, 2005, Frida Kahlo Quotes) Kahlo exhibited several times with European surrealists, has had multiple books written on her life and artwork, including her own diary which was published in 1995, and a movie has been made about her life. Frida Kahlo has gained so much fame that the story of her life has almost overtaken her artwork in recognition. Frida Kahlo’s ‘Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace, Hummingbird and Monobrow’ displays an expressionless woman with an emphasized monobrow and moustache. She appears to be a young adult of Mexican heritage. The background is of a rainforest scene, with a monkey and a wildcat above her shoulders. The woman is wearing a necklace make of thorns with a hummingbird attached at the centre. Dragonflies and butterflies surround her head, which has a cloth “crown” on it. The woman’s characteristic features are impassive, and it is only with addition of symbols such as thorns and butterflies that indicate psychological intent. For this reason, some people have compared her artwork to religious icons. (2005, Frida Kahlo) Confusion and curiosity are stimulated by the portrait. Because of the exaggerated monobrow and moustache, it is at first difficult to establish the gender of the figure, which causes confusion. The portrayal of Frida with masculine characteristics triggered curiosity to why it was depicted in this manner.Kahlo’s self-portrait was painted on canvas using oil paint. Her use of traditional Mexican influences yet her modern approach have caused the materials to be used in both a traditional and contemporary manner. The paint has been applied boldly, incorporating the traditional use of colour in indigenous Mexican art. The artwork has been strictly composed using a vertical compositional format, with Kahlo in the centre and the cat and monkey above her left right and left shoulders, creating a very balanced artwork.

The focal point of the artwork is her face, which is established by placement, contrast and line. The monobrow is vertically centred and almost horizontally in the middle. The black colouring of the monobrow is sharply contrasted against the paler, reddish-brown colour of her skin. The hummingbird at the bottom not only “points” upwards to the face, but has also been cleverly manipulated to imitate Kahlo’s brow, drawing further attention to her facial features. From the monobrow, the eye then travels back down to the hummingbird, then back towards the cloth crown and butterflies.

The bold contrasting use of colour emphasizes Kahlo’s monobrow, eyes and hair, making her appear quite solemn. The use of tone adds shadows under her eyes, creating the feel of sadness and tiredness. Emphasis on Kahlo’s brow and eyes make her eyes soulful in appearance, which captivates the viewer’s attention, causing them to scrutinise the painting. Keeping the painting balanced by positioning the monkey and cat over the shoulders create three balanced sections, keeping the focus on the figure.

Symbolism plays a huge role in all of Kahlo’s work, and without her use of symbols many of her works would be absent of emotions and any deeper meaning. A dead hummingbird, a necklace of thorns, butterflies and dragonflies and a monobrow are all used in “Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace, Hummingbird and Unibrow.” Hummingbirds are a traditional Mexican symbol of good luck, and are ironically used in reference to her unfortunate life, and to her Mexican heritage. The thorn necklace represents Christ’s unravelled crown of thorns, marking Frida’s Christianity, whilst the dragonflies and butterflies symbolise the Resurrection. The exaggerated beard and monobrow are political statements towards feminism as in western culture they are seen as undesirable and so are purposely emphasized.

Kahlo’s painting was created in Mexico 1940, a time of great economical and political change in Mexico. Kahlo was a nationalist but avant-garde representational artist in the era of surrealism, and her paintings have been described as a combination of surrealism, symbolism, and realism. (Frida Kahlo, 2007) The aim of surrealism was to unleash the “deep layer” of the human mind where memories and the most basic instincts are stored, and to revive the “unconscious” mind and reconcile it with rational life. Kahlo unconsciously utilized the first images, thoughts, and desires that crossed her mind. (Hernandez, 2007, Frida-Kahlo, The Surrealist?)

In her art, Kahlo interpreted these themes in a symbolic manner to express and understand the tragedy of her life. It was only after a horrendous vehicle accident when she was eighteen that she started most of her artwork, to channel her pain into something expressive, an outlet of her experiences. Kahlo’s work went beyond the limits of reality. She transferred every thought into her painting, and demonstrated that her life revolved around pain and horror. (Brown, 2002, Frida Kahlo- an Amazing Woman) Her painting reflects Mexican culture through the traditional flat, two-dimensional figures. The political and gender-based message of feminism and nationalism is shown through the unconventional exaggeration of her monobrow and moustache.

A number of factors influenced Kahlo’s artwork, the most important arguably being her traumatic life. Kahlo’s paintings always conveyed her pain and suffering she went through during her entire life, caused by childhood polio, serious injuries from the accident when she was eighteen, and multiple complications due to her previous conditions, including several painful miscarriages. Her famous husband, Diego Rivera, a cubist artist and muralist constantly guided, encouraged, and gave Frida support in her art. (Frida Kahlo, 2005) Her hometown and residence for most of her life, Mexico, also had a dramatic impact on her art. Her love for traditional Mexican art is evident through her use of flat-style figures and bright, bold colours.

Frida Kahlo never intended to produce surrealism; she simply portrayed her own tragic life. Kahlo never tried to convince anyone or herself that she was simply an ordinary woman. Instead, she shared her deepest expressions, emotions and desires, and her art became the reason for her to live. Her painting “Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace, Hummingbird and Unibrow” can be found at Henry Ransom Humanities Research Centre Art Collection at the University of Texas, USA. (Frida Kahlo with Thorn Necklace, 24/03/07) Kahlo’s work makes sure that her name will forever have a place in history, as every painting she created distinguished her from other women, and made her a heroine of art.

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