Art Criticism Model In Practice

The Art Criticism Model in Practice

Our experiences shape who we are, and also who we will become. I especially like how Frida Kahlo’s work speaks for her still, many years since her passing. Frida Kahlo de Rivera’s  work is not difficult to understand art for its own sake. Her work evokes a sense of intrigue from the viewer.  She resonates with me; I feel as though she has invited me into her tortured world to connect deeper into her somewhat tragic, yet richly colorful life story. She definitely took risks in her processing and problem solving.

For this assignment I have chosen to analyze Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits, as shown here in this grouping (above), using the analytic model. I will preface by stating that although I have seen her work over the period of many years my reaction to her work captivates me every time I meet with her again. Sometimes I am startled, other times I am saddened; yet always her work evokes a strong sense of adventure. At an instant I find myself curiously connected to Frida, feeling her bravery for being a woman in a world dominated by men. Magdalena Carmen Frieda Kahlo y Calderón (July 6, 1907 – July 13, 1954) was a Mexican painter, born in Coyoacán. 

Perhaps best known for her self-portraits, Kahlo’s work is remembered for its “pain and passion”, and its intense, vibrant colors. Her work has been celebrated in Mexico as emblematic of national and indigenous tradition, and by feminists for its uncompromising depiction of the female experience and form. (“Style Icon Frida Kahlo”, 2012)

Kahlo suffered lifelong health problems, many of which stemmed from a traffic accident in her teenage years. These issues are reflected in her works, more than half of which are self-portraits of one sort or another. Kahlo suggested, “I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best.” She also stated, “... I was born a painter.” Frida painted the narratives related to her experiences in life of physical and mental suffering with raw emotion. During her lifetime she produced 143 paintings, 55 of which are self-portraits. When asked why she painted herself so many times she replied, “Because I am so often alone… because I am the subject that I know best” (“Welcome To Frida Kahlo Website”, 2015). Her work and her life are inseparable. 

            Frida Kahlo’s cultural ties to Mexico are immediately evident through her use of color, icons, and allegory to her beloved homeland. Her on-again-off-again marriage and relationship with famous muralist Diego Rivera was the subject of many of her portraits. His work was steeped in political satire, while her work visually drowned in their love story. The Art Gallery of Ontario said in 2012, “He painted for the people. She painted to survive.”  Her art lives on in anyone who takes the time to look closely, sensitively, and deeply. Frida Kahlo’s work takes us all on a romantic adventure spanning time and space.

The Analytic Model

^*These questions first appeared in an article by Anderson (1997) entitled “Talking with kids about art,” School Arts, 97 (1), 21–26.

NOTE: I chose to use the Analytic Model to analyze Frida Kahlo’s portraits because of the deep emotional connections evident in her work. This model guides the observer to search deeper within to reach for personal connections to the art and to the artist.

References

Anderson, T., & Milbrandt, M. K. (2005). Art for Life. Authentic Instruction in Art. : McGraw-Hill Company.

Style Icon Frida Kahlo. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.msfabulous.com/2012/12/style-icon-frida-kahlo.html

WELCOME TO FRIDA KAHLO WEBSITE. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.fridakahlo.com/