 This is the book to read if you want to know Frida Kahlo in depth
Women artists of the past had been largely ignored by art historians but articles began to appear here and there in the Seventies as women art historians rejected the idea that all great artists were male and researched these neglected women who made art and were well known in their own time, then forgotten. This took courage as defying patriarchal systems always does. In 1976, the seminal "Women Artists:1550-1950" by Ann Sutherland-Harris and Linda Nochlin includes a section on Kahlo's work. That's an excellent book for anyone interested in the history of art by women, probably out of print but available through libraries.
Before "Women Artists" came out, I saw Frida's work in an article, which I think was in the "Feminist Art Journal." I was awestruck, to the extent of creating a piece titled "Homage to Frida Kahlo" for my 1978 exhibition at an Atlanta gallery. My work is not like Frida's but she is effectively my "patron saint" as an artist, a real inspiration. She was an amazing artist who endured a lot of pain but kept making art and, when she was well, liked to cook and entertain, go to parties, etc. I don't share her atheism, communist ideology, bisexuality, or problems with an unfaithful husband but I don't hold them against her, either, and understand why she had affairs of her own. She'd be very, very high on my list if I were asked that old question "What famous dead people would you like to have dinner with?" If such a dinner could actually happen, I'd ask if I might bring my husband along to translate for me, perhaps my daughter, too, and hope Frida would cook for us in her Blue House.
The earliest publication date I can find listed online for Hayden Herrera's "Frida" is 1983 -- someone has borrowed my copy again so I can't check to see if it is actually older. But the 2002 edition is not the original date and I thought it was out by 1978.
That first article I read may have been by Hayden Herrera. I know she later wrote one for ArtForum but there is no online bibliography of her articles, only her books. There were other books that came out in the same general time frame and they're fine for someone who doesn't want to read a long book about Frida. But Herrera's "Frida" is the best as art history and biography. Also especially good, in my view, is "The Diary of Frida Kahlo," which actually reproduces Frida's diary, writings and drawings. And Herrera's book "Frida Kahlo: the Paintings" is more photos, less biography, a good companion to "Frida."
If you still want and need more of Frida, go here:[...]
for a long list of books with reviews; all seem to be available at amazon. I'm tempted to read the 2008 book that is an interview she gave to her female friend and psychologist towards the end of her life, but turned off by the idea that it includes a psychological assessment of Frida given by another psychologist, a male, presumably written for this book by a man who never knew Frida! Talk about a long-distance diagnosis. . .
Perhaps it's better not to know everything that's behind anyone's mask, better not to hear what Frida told her shrink, just look at more of her work and enjoy it. She showed us her psyche quite a lot in her paintings. Viva Frida!
Biography of Frida Kahlo on CD Outstanding
The Biography of Frida Kahlo on CD is outstanding. The quality of the CDs is high, as advertised, and the vendor went to great lengths to get me the CDs in excellent condition and more quickly than expected.
Highly recommended!
The best...........!
This wonderful book tells the remarkable story of one of the most interesting women of all time. It is wonderful "read" and as colorful as Frida herself.
Frida Rocks!
I read this book when it was first published and it changed my life, the way i looked at art and the way I approached my own art. Frida was an enigmatic personality, a genius of the surreal emotions we have. I adore her and her art. The book by Hayden Herrera was so thoroughly researched that if you end up visiting Coyocan, you will feel familiar with it and the cultures that surround it. Wonderful biography, well written, well researched and what a great service the author has done in educating us on an incredible artist that would have otherwise been hidden behind the shadows of her husband.
Brilliant
I bought this book after re-watching the movie taken largely from this exhaustive biography. As someone who has read many bios, let me say that this is a refreshing and encouraging alternative to the fawning and excessive grocery store drivel and/or the dull and fact-filled dissertations that describe most biographies. Hayden Herrera manages to combine a staggeringly comprehensive detailing of Kahlo's life with an easy prose that makes for an engaging read. I know far more about this artist than I could've imagined and it is largely first-hand accounts either from the pages of Frida's own diaries and numerous letters or the people who were there. Herrera keeps her personal opinions regarding the events to a minimum and allows the events to speak for themselves. The life of Frida Kahlo needs no additional padding or maudlin tricks to engender a connection to anyone with a heart and soul. When the author does speculate, it comes from someone who has clearly studied her subject thoroughly and backs up her theories with a wealth of compelling evidence and sensible arguments. While her appreciation for Kahlo is obvious, Herrera does not stop short of being critical, questioning Kahlo's motives, and revealing the stark humanity and insecurity that Kahlo tried to obscure with her public persona as the confident, outspoken, provocative enchantress sporting her exotic Tehuana finery.
However, the best use of Herrera's research and the clear compassion and empathy she has for this incredible woman is when she analizes Frida's paintings. I found myself continuously turning back and forth from the detailed observations and interpretation to the paintings and trying to understand what the author is talking about. It was fascinating reading and a wonderful exploration that shed light into the depths of Frida's intensely personal art.
Two last notes: First, the version I bought does not sport Salma Hayek on the cover but instead one of Frida's many self-portraits. Apparently the publishers corrected this unfortunate decision based on movie marketing. Second, I was fortunate enough to take in the amazing exhibit of Frida Kahlo at the Philadelphia Museum just a few weeks ago and it was a moving and special day. Seeing the actual frames dripping blood, the size and grandeur of some of the works juxtaposed with the smaller works, and the sheer emotionally gravity of her art was something I'll never forget. Having read much of this biography by that time, I was able to bring that much more to that exhilarating opportunity.
Frida Kahlo was not just an extraordinary artist but was moreover an extraordinary person. Herrera's heartfelt, deeply researched, and brilliantly written biography allows those of us who never knew her to feel as if we have and to share in the universal quality of her painful work. That alone makes us better people for having experienced it.
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