Frida Kahlo Biography

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who was best known for the self-portraiture work which she created during her career (Fridakahlo.org, 2014). Early on in her life it was her ambition not to become a painter but rather a doctor. This ambition was however quashed when at the age of 18 the bus she and her boyfriend were traveling on was struck by a tram. As a result of this horrific accident Frida Kahlo had to spend one year in a hospital bed, recovering from the massive injuries to her body. Over her lifetime, Kahlo underwent more than 30 surgical procedures and numerous painful treatments which included her having to wear corsets and mechanical "stretching" systems. To add to her trauma, she was never able to have children as a complication of her injuries.

To help distract her from the pain and suffering, Kahlo turned to painting…. “to combat the boredom and pain” she said, “I felt I still had enough energy to do something other than studying to become a doctor. Without giving it any particular thought, I started painting” (Fridakahlofans.com, 2014).

One year after the bus collision Kahlo Sketched “The Accident” (Figure ). This was the first of many art works produced throughout her life where Kahlo drew upon her personal experiences. Many of her paintings were shocking in their …show more content…
A local critic wrote: "It is impossible to separate the life and work of this extraordinary person. Her paintings are her biography" (Frida-kahlo-foundation.org, 2014). This statement was not made lightly and at the time of her exhibition opening, Frida's health was so bad that her Doctor told her that she was not to leave her bed. She insisted however that she was going to attend her opening and showed up in an ambulance with her bed in the back of a truck. She was placed in her bed and four men carried her in to the exhibition. To me this demonstrates just how closely linked Kahlo’s suffering and her art actually