There were obviously many reactions to Frida Kahlo’s life and works. My co-observers focused on different levels and features of the artist and her works. Some were solely concentrated on the aesthetic and technical aspects of her paintings. Others were immensely intrigued by her culture and social dynamics which influenced her creativity. Oddly enough, I didn’t overhear anyone comment on her disability. Her life and brilliance of her works may very well have overshadowed that particular element of her character and life.
I would say that the experience was memorable for me, but rather typical as far as museum expeditions go. It was not until I exited the museum that the real unveiling of life began. Wanting to go into the city, I began to board a tourist bus. With relative naivety, I said to the driver, “Will you please deploy the wheelchair lift?” I should have known when he looked a bit confused and annoyed that drama was right behind. It took 45 minutes for this untrained driver to learn from a tourist from California how to operate the wheelchair accessible equipment. The driver, besides being frustrated and embarrassed, was being harassed by a string of drivers who were behind the tourist bus. They honked and yelled as if that would expedite the process. Many people including the museum staff were visibly upset at this interruption in their schedule. They were people with places to go and people to see and this one stranger in their midst was holding up progress.
Part of me felt bad for the inconvenience but a larger part of me wondered how much the tourists who saw the exhibit were sensitized by their understanding of Kahlo’s life. Did they have a glimpse into the disability experience and how that may have impacted Kahlo’s emotional creativity?[Image description: the painting "Broken Column" by Frida Kahlo, 1944]
4 comments:
Dear Carol,
I am ignorant of Frida Kahlo's disability. Please enlighten me.
- TL
Obviously this is an exhibit I would love to see! I've seen a few discussions (art historians, when I've googled, and in actual conversation) of the gender/cultural restraints her work represents while missing the more obvious problem of physical disability. One website says that she must have suffered chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia, in disbelief that spinal and other injuries could cause such continued pain, thus discrediting the pain of the disability she did have. And others refuse to acknowledge even that when they know about it. She had pain--it wasn't all symbolic of other kinds of pain.
I'm sorry for your bus experience and for people's impatience. A friend and I were in Boston a few years ago and waited a long time with a man in a wheelchair on a bus because other people yelled at him. We didn't want to take the bus behind with those mean people even though it would have been faster.
(TL, I'll let Carol answer rather than jumping in since she's just seen the exhibit and may want to say more! Someone had a good post about Frida's art a few years ago, though I only read it a few weeks ago--I can't remember who/where it was.)
Thank you for reading my post. As far as I know Frida Kahlo was born with polio and when she was a teenager she acquired a spinal chord injury from a bus accident in Spain.
Many of her paintings are emotional physical representations of her interpretation of her disability.
Carol
I like your blog. Thank you. They are really great . Ermunterung ++ .
Some new style Puma Speed is in fashion this year.
chaussure puma is Puma shoes in french . Many Franzose like seach “chaussure sport” by the internet when they need buy the Puma Shoes Or nike max shoes. The information age is really convenient .
By the way ,the nike max ltd is really good NIKE air shoes ,don’t forget buy the puma mens shoes and nike air max ltd by the internet when you need them . Do you know Nike Air Shoes is a best Air Shoes . another kinds of Nike shoes is better . For example , Nike Air Rift is good and Cheap Nike Shoes .the nike shox shoes is fitting to running.
Spring is coming, Do you think this season is not for Ugg Boots? maybe yes .but this season is best time that can buy the cheap ugg boots. Many sellers are selling discounted. Do not miss . Please view my fc2 blog and hair straighteners blog.
.thank you .
I like orange converse shoes ,I like to buy the cheap converse shoes by the internet shop . the puma shoes and the adidas shoes (or addidas shoes) are more on internet shop .i can buy the cheap nike shoes and cheap puma shoes online. It’s really convenient.
Many persons more like Puma basket shoes than nike air rift shoes . the Puma Cat shoes is a kind of Cheap Puma Shoes .
If you want to buy the Cheap Nike Air shoes ,you can buy them online. They are same as the Nike Air shoes authorized shop. Very high-caliber Air shoes and puma cat shoes . the cheap puma shoes as same as other.
polo shirts
ralph lauren polo shirts
chaussure puma
chaussure sport
chaussures puma
puma CAT
ed hardy clothing
ed hardy clothes
ed hardy womens
ed hardy sunglasses
ugg boots
cheap ugg boots
Post a Comment