“The Two Fridas”, an oil-on canvas painting that was completed in 1939, has dimensions of 173 x 175 cm. It is currently located in Mexico’s Museum of Modern Art. We first see the double self-portrait of the Fridas, which shows them sitting on a bench. Both Fridas are linked by their hearts which can be seen through their clothing. Both Fridas are also connected by their hearts via their arteries. Each Frida wears different clothing styles. One Frida represents the European Frida. The other represents Mexican Frida.
This painting gives us the impression of Frida’s duality. She is strong and confident in her love life, but she also has the ability to see the pain and struggle that she experiences due to her blood stained white dress. This painting is strongly marked with line, particularly in regards to human figures. She uses the drawing ending to draw the distinction. The Frida Mexican Frida is dressed in white, which is indicative of her European heritage. Fridakahlo favors linear perspective. By setting the vanishing mark in the union among the palms, each Fridas, Frida Kahlo is able to see the inner feelings of both the individual elements. The vast comparison between the closed and stormy skies and the fire on the earth highlights the duality of heaven and earth. It is also a reflection of the difference between existence and death. All aspects of “two Fridas” are influenced by duality. This particular work was first painted in 1939. It is an important year and a pivotal point in Mexican history. Lazaro Carenas was elected president of Mexico. He had sympathized since the Civil War began. His government also supported the republic and sought to rescue the French camps and all those who had opposed the dictatorial Spanish ruler. 25% of the exiles would have been intellectuals or elite. Mexico became the home of Spain, which allowed them to preserve their specialties and study in a peaceful environment.
Mexican art sought a national identity after the 1919 revolution. A movement called muralism was born. It was represented by Jose Clemente Orozco and Diego Rivera. They carried the murals into public buildings and taught the story and the ideology for a brand new Mexico, which absorbed the riches of the past and its folklore. Frida reflects her own experiences through her artworks. She translates her past and shows how it affects the lives of others. She painted after her divorce. This is “Las dos Fridas” (Surrealism, 1939). Surrealists do away with the need to duplicate truth and instead capture the reality of their subjects. Frida has created stunning paintings by using her personal studies.
Frida’s surrealist approach is different than the others because she doesn’t pretend to paint or release the unconscious. Instead, Frida uses surrealism to share her personal experiences. This painting can be interpreted as Frida Kahlo’s attempt to express her deep grief over the end of a difficult relationship.
On the opposite side you can see a woman in love who has a strong heart.
