MEXICO CITY. On the anniversary of Frida Kahlo’s death, her art continues to captivate and inspire fans around the globe, celebrated not just for its aesthetic brilliance but also for its deep spiritual resonance.
Frida Kahlo, who passed away on July 13, 1954, had no formal religious affiliation. Yet, her paintings frequently feature religious symbols, prompting questions about their significance. “Frida conveyed the power of each individual,” said art researcher and curator Ximena Jordán. “Her self-portraits are a reminder of the ways in which we can exercise the power that life — or God, so to speak — has given us.”
Born in 1907 in Mexico City, where her “Blue House” remains a museum, Kahlo drew inspiration from her personal experiences. A bus accident in 1925 left her with lifelong pain, further intensified by her tumultuous relationship with Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. These experiences deeply influenced her art.
Kahlo’s unique approach to life and spirituality has forged a profound connection with her audience. Her self-portraits, laden with symbolic elements, reveal the depths of the human spirit. For example, “Diego and I,” painted in 1949, sold for $34.9 million at Sotheby’s in New York in 2021, setting an auction record for a Latin American artist. The painting depicts Kahlo with a serene expression despite tears, and Rivera’s face, with a third eye, on her forehead, symbolizing deeper spiritual connections.
“The religiosity of the painting is not in the fact that Frida carries Diego in her thoughts,” explained Jordán. “The fact that she bears him as a third eye, and Diego has a third eye of his own, reflects that his affection for her made her transcend to another dimension of existence.”
Many admirers resonate deeply with Kahlo’s art. “I connected with her heart and writings,” said Cris Melo, a 58-year-old American artist. “We had the same love language, and similar history of heartache.” Despite not enduring the same physical traumas, Melo drew strength from Kahlo’s resilience, saying, “If Frida could handle this, so can I.”
Kahlo’s works, despite depicting her suffering, evoke strength rather than sadness. “Frida inspires many people to be consistent,” said Amni, a London-based Spanish artist who reinterprets Kahlo’s works using artificial intelligence. “Other artists have inspired me, but Frida has been the most special because of everything she endured.”
Unlike her contemporaries, who often focused on social and political themes, Kahlo’s art was deeply personal, exploring her physical disabilities, bisexuality, and diverse spiritual beliefs. In “The Wounded Deer,” for instance, Kahlo portrays herself as a deer pierced by arrows, yet her expression remains calm, akin to Catholic martyr imagery.
Though aligned with Marxist ideology and critical of the Catholic Church, Kahlo appreciated the spiritual benefits of devotion. She collected votive offerings, small paintings offered in gratitude for miracles, which are still preserved in her Blue House. “She might have regarded her survival as a miracle,” Jordán noted, “attributed not to a deity but to the generosity of life.”
In her final days, Kahlo painted a series of vibrant watermelons, her last work, inscribing on one, “Vida la vida,” or “Long live life.” This phrase captures the enduring spirit of her art, which continues to inspire and resonate with people worldwide.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
