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Frida Kahlo: Song of Herself
Frida Kahlo's extraordinary life has been well documented, but until now little has been known about the artist's thoughts on her internal and external reality. In "Song of Herself", Kahlo expert and child psychiatrist Salomon Grimberg introduces and contextualizes an intimate, deeply introspective interview that Kahlo gave towards the end of her life to her friend the psychologist Olga Campos for an unpublished book on the creative process. Kahlo comments directly and starkly as never before on her life, her loves and her art, and expresses her attitudes towards sexuality, her body, friendship, politics and death, among other personal concerns.The most revealing autobiographical text known on this singular woman, this startling interview is accompanied here by Campos' reflections on her relationship with Kahlo and a psychological assessment of Kahlo by Dr James Bridger Harris. The book is illustrated with selected photographs and works by Kahlo, including previously unseen and rarely seen drawings.
159 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 29, 2015
Interesting to learn more about her and enjoyed photos of some of her paintings, but some of the psychoanalysis was irritatingly presumptuous.
January 13, 2021
Very well researched yet still in very deep and heartfelt connection with Frida this book provides so much information about Frida's inner life, spiritual abyss and motivations!
I never got this Feminism hype when it comes to Frida Kahlo.
Though she definitively IS an icon, in my opinion she is not a feministic icon.
She devoted her whole life to Diego.
She dressed in Mexican attire for him. Her political principles were shaped by him. She went to Paris because he wanted her to. She sold paintings because he wanted her to. Even her affairs eventually revolved around him.
Though their relationship has been a totally toxic one it is still iconic in a way of utterly devotion.
To me Frida is an icon of pain, passion and devotion.
And as much as I wish to live a healthier life myself I feel related to her very deeply and adore her genuinely. ❤
I never got this Feminism hype when it comes to Frida Kahlo.
Though she definitively IS an icon, in my opinion she is not a feministic icon.
She devoted her whole life to Diego.
She dressed in Mexican attire for him. Her political principles were shaped by him. She went to Paris because he wanted her to. She sold paintings because he wanted her to. Even her affairs eventually revolved around him.
Though their relationship has been a totally toxic one it is still iconic in a way of utterly devotion.
To me Frida is an icon of pain, passion and devotion.
And as much as I wish to live a healthier life myself I feel related to her very deeply and adore her genuinely. ❤
August 11, 2020
Terrible... Nice and all that the author used 'research, letters and personal stories' but his interpretation is very one sided. Its the perfect example of a romanticized story of an artist, which for female artists often mean a degradation to an dependent agency lacking figure.
July 8, 2022
Always great to read more about Frida and this book also contains paintings and drawings I had not seen before.
June 18, 2013
A fascinating insight into a hero of mine seen through the eyes of some interesting folks.
Loved the images throughout, especially the photographs.
Most interesting were the sketches Kahlo made to represent different emotions.
It's not the happiest of books but does open your eyes to how brave and fiercely creative she was.
My only criticism is that I'd have liked to see each picture referred to rather than just a selection.
Loved the images throughout, especially the photographs.
Most interesting were the sketches Kahlo made to represent different emotions.
It's not the happiest of books but does open your eyes to how brave and fiercely creative she was.
My only criticism is that I'd have liked to see each picture referred to rather than just a selection.
March 22, 2017
“Kahlo gradually took lovers of both genders in order to avoid feelings of emptiness."
At least twice in this book is her bisexuality invalidated even though Frida herself spoke of being in love with a female teacher at a young age.
"She discovered that people would do more for the ill than for the well, and she began to link illness with caring. Building on what she had learned while convalescing from polio about the value of helplessness, Kahlo took on the identity of a professional patient when she was involved in a bus accident on September 17, 1925. "
There is also something dangerous in the implication here that it was of her own doing to become a "professional patient" after being "involved" in an accident. Considering that her medical records are laid out towards the end of the book, it's clear that she was bedridden for months following the accident and affected by it for the rest of her lifetime in the form of surgeries, plaster casts and miscarriages.
To me this book painted a very gray picture of Frida Kahlo where she seemed to have made herself a victim of her life, all by her own hands. If I could say something positive about this book it would be that I was grateful to see drawings, paintings and photographs of her that I had not previously seen.
At least twice in this book is her bisexuality invalidated even though Frida herself spoke of being in love with a female teacher at a young age.
"She discovered that people would do more for the ill than for the well, and she began to link illness with caring. Building on what she had learned while convalescing from polio about the value of helplessness, Kahlo took on the identity of a professional patient when she was involved in a bus accident on September 17, 1925. "
There is also something dangerous in the implication here that it was of her own doing to become a "professional patient" after being "involved" in an accident. Considering that her medical records are laid out towards the end of the book, it's clear that she was bedridden for months following the accident and affected by it for the rest of her lifetime in the form of surgeries, plaster casts and miscarriages.
To me this book painted a very gray picture of Frida Kahlo where she seemed to have made herself a victim of her life, all by her own hands. If I could say something positive about this book it would be that I was grateful to see drawings, paintings and photographs of her that I had not previously seen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2020
I would say more of a 4.5.
May contain spoiler...
I felt like this book was beautifully put together. I found it a little more helpful to have already completed Hayden Herrera's Frida biography prior to reading this book as it was referenced several times. All in all, I just felt like the last chapter was a little rushed. it felt as though there was alot of info in regards to the test that were scattered throughout the chapter. I really enjoyed how a majority of the book gave you several perspectives most of it being in Fridas own words. I enjoyed how it didn't include the questions within the interview giving the book more of an autobiography feel. I truly recommend giving this book a read if you are interested in a closer look into the mind of one truly remarkable woman ✨
May contain spoiler...
I felt like this book was beautifully put together. I found it a little more helpful to have already completed Hayden Herrera's Frida biography prior to reading this book as it was referenced several times. All in all, I just felt like the last chapter was a little rushed. it felt as though there was alot of info in regards to the test that were scattered throughout the chapter. I really enjoyed how a majority of the book gave you several perspectives most of it being in Fridas own words. I enjoyed how it didn't include the questions within the interview giving the book more of an autobiography feel. I truly recommend giving this book a read if you are interested in a closer look into the mind of one truly remarkable woman ✨
February 8, 2021
Les parties extraites directement des entretiens avec Kahlo sont fascinantes et le travail biographique est très bien fait (j’ai adoré les notes de bas de page qui corrigeaient les mensonges de Frida Kahlo). Ceci dit les auteurs sont hyper durs avec elle et appliquent leurs théories psychanalytiques nulles en se basant sur 10 pages de notes de conversation. Ca vaut le coup de feuilleter le livre pour les oeuvres assez rares qui sont dedans et pour les mots de Kahlo mais j’ai absolument pas aimé tout le travail fait autour. Ca aurait sûrement été plus pertinent aussi s’ils avaient passé moins de temps à parler de Rivera
(Et je déteste quand les notes de bas de page sont A LA FIN DU CHAPITRE et qu’il faut faire des allers-retours)
(Et je déteste quand les notes de bas de page sont A LA FIN DU CHAPITRE et qu’il faut faire des allers-retours)
June 28, 2022
I recall reading a few books about Frida yrs ago as a young woman and being in awe of her work. However this book is not so much about her artwork as it being about her inner monologue. Written with observations from her close psychologist friend Olga Campos; you get to see inside Kahlo's head.
There are direct quotes, letters and notes by Kahlo on her feelings towards herself, her husband Diego, love, friendship and her art. I finished this feeling more connected in some ways as well as slightly repulsed by her. If not to say that she is a reflection of how we all feel about ourselves and our roles we play in the people's lives we love and care about.
"I am more afraid of being abandoned than of being disappointed" - Frida Kahlo
There are direct quotes, letters and notes by Kahlo on her feelings towards herself, her husband Diego, love, friendship and her art. I finished this feeling more connected in some ways as well as slightly repulsed by her. If not to say that she is a reflection of how we all feel about ourselves and our roles we play in the people's lives we love and care about.
"I am more afraid of being abandoned than of being disappointed" - Frida Kahlo
December 26, 2025
Frida Kahlo has been an icon for many, including myself. I learned a lot about her life, her artwork, her relationship with her husband Diego Rivera. So I went into this book curious to see what it would add about her persona. And this book contradicted my ideas of Frida. It crumpled my image of this famous icon, and presented a flawed complex woman.
There are some interpretations that I don't agree with, but others I surprisingly do. Some people are going to vehemently turn down this book, similar to when we hear demeaning stories of a beloved figure. But honestly, how many of us can say we actually know this woman. Its an interesting read, it challenged my perception of her. Maybe others won't be ready for it.
There are some interpretations that I don't agree with, but others I surprisingly do. Some people are going to vehemently turn down this book, similar to when we hear demeaning stories of a beloved figure. But honestly, how many of us can say we actually know this woman. Its an interesting read, it challenged my perception of her. Maybe others won't be ready for it.
March 15, 2017
I gained some new and fascinating insights into an artist whose work I admire from this book but at the same time, I discovered things about Frida Kahlo that don't align with my perception of her as a feminist role model.
The personal contributions of both Frida in the excerpts of her psychological interviews with her friend Olga Campos and Campos' own essay on her friendship with Frida exposed her neediness and dependence, which were personality traits stemming from childhood. But perhaps I shouldn't be so cruel to expect that she must only be strong, and that what I presume as a weakness (neediness, dependency) can't in itself be part of her strength.
At times I felt the discussion and analysis too simplistic. Many times throughout the book the lack of being breastfed by her mother is used to describe the complex relationship she had with her mother and to explain the root cause of her jealousy and dependence on others.
Then once I read the overview of her medical history, I started cringing at how intrusive I felt the book to be and this glib treatment of the intimacy of Frida's revelations made me feel uncomfortable. Although Frida's art is so intensely personal, I felt that this book really crossed the line in the medical and psychological analysis of her and her motivations.
The first part of the book is interesting and there are things to be learned about this fascinating and talented woman, who if she was of this era, would still be shocking for many people but probably not forthright enough in the things that count.
The personal contributions of both Frida in the excerpts of her psychological interviews with her friend Olga Campos and Campos' own essay on her friendship with Frida exposed her neediness and dependence, which were personality traits stemming from childhood. But perhaps I shouldn't be so cruel to expect that she must only be strong, and that what I presume as a weakness (neediness, dependency) can't in itself be part of her strength.
At times I felt the discussion and analysis too simplistic. Many times throughout the book the lack of being breastfed by her mother is used to describe the complex relationship she had with her mother and to explain the root cause of her jealousy and dependence on others.
Then once I read the overview of her medical history, I started cringing at how intrusive I felt the book to be and this glib treatment of the intimacy of Frida's revelations made me feel uncomfortable. Although Frida's art is so intensely personal, I felt that this book really crossed the line in the medical and psychological analysis of her and her motivations.
The first part of the book is interesting and there are things to be learned about this fascinating and talented woman, who if she was of this era, would still be shocking for many people but probably not forthright enough in the things that count.
April 22, 2019
A compilation of medical and psychological assessments compiled during the last 7 years of Kahlo’s life. Sad.
May 4, 2019
I was interested to know more about Frida and this definitely made we want to learn more because this book only describes little tidbits about her. There's not much information at all.
July 30, 2024
Creativity and the brain has interested me.
February 25, 2018
I am re-reading my treasured books of, about and by Frida Kahlo (from fifteen years ago); and, I am finding new treasures in each one. This particular biography by Salomon Grimberg is probably the most intriguing of the ones I have read. It is a compilation of interviews and psychological batteries Frida completed for her cherished friend, Olga Campos, a psychology student from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico in the late 1940's who used Frida's assessments for her study on the psychological make-up of creative brains, as in the visual arts. Olga's prodigious findings have been studied by practicing medical professionals and compiled in to this extremely intimate look at the real Frida by Salomon Grimberg, himself a child psychiatrist. It pained me to learn that Frida's allure as a very unique individual is directly related to her insatiable need to be loved and appreciated. Due to her early years, even before the accident that changed her life, Frida's insecurities were cast in stone. She was always kind of an oddball and grew up doing anything that would get her attention. It is hinted at many times throughout this study that Frida was a Narcissist. However, she was also capable of great compassion and love for family and friends. My favorite part of this telling profile is Frida's own words related to her life. One can see why Frida became the iconoclastic artist and woman at a time when women didn't have a voice. I don't love her any less because I know she was deeply flawed. In fact, I love her more because of it. If you follow Frida's art, this is a must read because Frida was her art.
January 31, 2016
This book is so fascinating and well written that I found myself just sucked right in and didn’t want to stop reading. It wasn’t even next on my list but I flipped through it and couldn’t put it down.
The first half of this book is a brief biography of Frida Kahlo followed by Olga Campos’ memories of Frida and how their relationship developed. The middle section is sort of interview/reciting of her life by Frida herself and the book ends with a breakdown of the psychological tests that Olga Campos worked on with Frida and I loved the different perspectives offered and how they blended together to create a more nuanced and understandable portrait of a complicated and damaged artist.
I also appreciated how this book handled Frida’s physical and mental health issues, providing great insight without feeling exploitive, appologistic or condemning.
There was a nice sampling of her art, both her more professional pieces and doodles and casual pieces and I was impressed by how many color plates there are as that is often a issue I have with books about art and artist. I would have appreciated a different layout for the plates, having them placed nearer the text that covered them as it was very annoying to have to keep flipping through the book to find the image in question so you could better make a connection between the to but that is such a minor quibble compared to the overall quantity and quality of the images.
Frida Khalo is one of those artists who has always fascinated me but I’ve never felt an understanding of or connection to her art, this book has gone a long way towards putting both her and it into a context I can relate to.
The first half of this book is a brief biography of Frida Kahlo followed by Olga Campos’ memories of Frida and how their relationship developed. The middle section is sort of interview/reciting of her life by Frida herself and the book ends with a breakdown of the psychological tests that Olga Campos worked on with Frida and I loved the different perspectives offered and how they blended together to create a more nuanced and understandable portrait of a complicated and damaged artist.
I also appreciated how this book handled Frida’s physical and mental health issues, providing great insight without feeling exploitive, appologistic or condemning.
There was a nice sampling of her art, both her more professional pieces and doodles and casual pieces and I was impressed by how many color plates there are as that is often a issue I have with books about art and artist. I would have appreciated a different layout for the plates, having them placed nearer the text that covered them as it was very annoying to have to keep flipping through the book to find the image in question so you could better make a connection between the to but that is such a minor quibble compared to the overall quantity and quality of the images.
Frida Khalo is one of those artists who has always fascinated me but I’ve never felt an understanding of or connection to her art, this book has gone a long way towards putting both her and it into a context I can relate to.
April 7, 2013
Surprising.
Fascinating psychological assessment, especially regarding her deficits in self-concept and self-integration. Enjoyed interpretations of old school Rorschach Inkblot Test, Thematic Apperception Test, Bleuler-Jung Test, and Szondi Test. I woder what would be different, if much, through modern psychological testing.
"Sometimes one dominates without seeming to."
"I have enjoyed being contradictory...I do not believe in anyone's honesty, not even mine...I prefer to be led because I do not know how to lead."
Fascinating psychological assessment, especially regarding her deficits in self-concept and self-integration. Enjoyed interpretations of old school Rorschach Inkblot Test, Thematic Apperception Test, Bleuler-Jung Test, and Szondi Test. I woder what would be different, if much, through modern psychological testing.
"Sometimes one dominates without seeming to."
"I have enjoyed being contradictory...I do not believe in anyone's honesty, not even mine...I prefer to be led because I do not know how to lead."
June 13, 2025
A perfect biography in which we connect with Frida through the author’s eyes.
Those who are already admirers will love this book, and the ones who don’t know her that well will develop an increasing respect.
Impressive in the way it shows us what troubled her mind, what made her happy, all the soul behind the artist.
Those who are already admirers will love this book, and the ones who don’t know her that well will develop an increasing respect.
Impressive in the way it shows us what troubled her mind, what made her happy, all the soul behind the artist.
January 8, 2013
I pretty much read everything about Frida. This was one was interesting because it included a psychological evaluation of her-- she was a narcissist.I suppose the hundreds of self portraits she painted pointed to that already...
June 13, 2013
Lovely book about her life, her psychological being, photos and of course her paintings give you a glimpse of how she was. The writing could have been better and I have to admit I did not read all chapters. Sometimes shorter is better. Still intriguing!
February 26, 2009
Love that Artist...her personality,her paintings,her thoughts,her passion...The way she handled and managed to live her troubled life...
October 18, 2012
Sometimes one dominates without seeming to.
-Frida Kahlo, Song of Herself
-Frida Kahlo, Song of Herself
June 8, 2016
Really enjoyed this glimpse into Frida's life. A different perspective with psychological tests, medical records, and friends' recollections.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews