Frida Kahlo de Rivera
July 6, 1907 – July 13, 1954
For all of us who are enamored with Frida Kahlo i have decided to proclaim a holiday season known as the Festival of Fridamas. It begins on July 6, the anniversary of Frida Kahlo's birth and ends on July 13 the day Frida Kahlo passed away.
The idea came to me during Zappadan. (No i did not make up this Frank Zappa holiday. December 4 marks the anniversary of Frank Zappa‘s death, and the beginning of the Festival of Zappadan. Zappadan ends on Frank Zappa’s birthday, December 21st.)
The very first time i saw a painting of Frida i immediately thought, "Why doesn't she wax her eyebrows or at least pluck that unibrow!" It was not until a few years later after living in San Diego so close to the Mexican border that i began to appreciate her work, Mexican art and culture. The colors, the magic and the passion is addicting. It is so tempting to run off to Mexico, grow a unibrow, drink tequila and paint all day. However the truth is Frida's life may have been colorful but it was also tragic. In constant pain due to an accident when she was young along with other illnesses, married to a fat artist who cheated on her with her sister and a host of other wild dramas. I think i am happy to bask in her art, paint on a unibrow and red lipstick on Halloween and have a few margaritas in her honor.
The very first time i saw a painting of Frida i immediately thought, "Why doesn't she wax her eyebrows or at least pluck that unibrow!" It was not until a few years later after living in San Diego so close to the Mexican border that i began to appreciate her work, Mexican art and culture. The colors, the magic and the passion is addicting. It is so tempting to run off to Mexico, grow a unibrow, drink tequila and paint all day. However the truth is Frida's life may have been colorful but it was also tragic. In constant pain due to an accident when she was young along with other illnesses, married to a fat artist who cheated on her with her sister and a host of other wild dramas. I think i am happy to bask in her art, paint on a unibrow and red lipstick on Halloween and have a few margaritas in her honor.
For more details about the life and art of Frida visit these sites:
During these few days of remembering the life, art and her infamous unibrow i invite everyone to celebrate Frida each day. Even if it is a small jester such as:
Sport a Uni-brow and
Paint on some red lipstick
Add some flowers to your braided hair
Wearing Frida jewelry
Wear ethnic Mexican clothing
Do a shot of tequila in honor of Frida!
Have a margarita
Watch the movie Frida
Paint!
Marry a fat artist
Adopt a monkey and a few black cats
Join the Planet Calamari Facebook page to be invited to the FridaMas Festival and to post pictures and comments of how you are celebrating this holiday season..
Viva Frida!
"On
the day after her death, mourners gathered at the crematorium to witness
the cremation of Mexico's greatest and most shocking painter. Soon to
be an international icon, Frida Kahlo knew how to give her fans one last
unforgettable goodbye. As the cries of her admirers filled the room,
the sudden blast of heat from the open incinerator doors caused her body
to bolt upright. Her hair, now on fire from the flames, blazed around
her head like a halo. Frida's lips seemed to break into a seductive grin
just as the doors closed. Her last diary entry read: "I hope the end is joyful - and I hope never to return - Frida.".
No comments:
Post a Comment