Frida Kahlo, The Frame
In this wonderful painting entitled The Frame, Frida Kahlo shows her talent, her passion for life and for herself as proof of the undeniable and irrepressible need to paint. The painting was made in 1938 and was shown for the first time in Paris, in 1939, the “Mexique” exhibition, organized by André Breton.
In the same program, sculptures, photographs by Manuel Álvarez Bravo and popular art from the 18th and 19th centuries were exhibited. An exhibition was conceived to celebrate Mexican art, the passion of Breton and some surrealists. In the exhibition Frida participated with other forums, but the organization of the event was not easy because Breton had not worked hard to find a suitable place; It was Marcel Duchamp who gave the most important contribution to the organization and found the place to exhibit works of Mexican art.
Frida was upset by the surrealists and wrote to her friend Nickolas Muray:
“You can’t imagine what sons of bitches these people are. They disgust me. I’m so damn intellectual and decadent, I can’t take it anymore… It’s worth coming all the way here just to see why Europe is falling.” to pieces and that just because of all this is useless there are people like Hitler and Mussolini. I could bet my head, as long as I live, I will hate this place and its inhabitants forever.”
Frida Kahlo
The exhibition was not successful anyway due to the imminence of the war. However, the painting was later acquired by the Louvre Museum: this is the first work of art by the Mexican artist acquired by the Paris museum.
Frida Kahlo’s portrait and blue background were painted on aluminum sheet, while the flowers and birds painted on glass pieces made in another time and then applied to canvas.
