Re-introduces the social and political life and work of one of the world’s most recognizable artists, examining her impact on the broader society of her time, legacy, and how she was later shaped into a feminist and commercial icon. Frida Kahlo is best known for her colorful self-portraits, which represent some of the most direct renderings of women’s experiences in the 20th century, and for her active membership in Mexico’s modernist artistic circles. Her fame, as we know it today, grew only after her early death in 1954. Since the 1970s, she has become an iconic figure who is connected to feminist and LGBTQ+ movements around the world. Her face, adorned by a flower wreath and monobrow, has become a highly profitable brand featured on posters and a wide array of design products. Yet this fame has also made it difficult to distinguish between the mythology and the artist she was during her lifetime. This biography reassesses the artist’s life by re-introducing the Frida Kahlo behind the brand, retracing how Kahlo made history as a modernist painter and socialite in a time when Mexico was undergoing significant social and political changes. From her childhood in Mexico City in the midst of the Mexican Revolution, to her politics and tumultuous marriage to Diego Rivera, to her teaching a new generation of artists, this work provides a comprehensive look at the whole life of the artist and traces how her legacy developed into contemporary times. Images throughout illustrate the text and vividly connect readers to Kahlo's life. A timeline, chronological sequencing, and curated next-step resources make this a necessary first-stop reference source that shows the importance of revisiting iconic figures to assess their lives beyond the myths.
