Frida Kahlo prywatnie

by Suzanne Barbezat, Anna Basara (Translator)

Jak żyła Frida Kahlo? Czym się otaczała? Jakie miejsca kochała? Które najbardziej ją inspirowały? Czym był dla niej Niebieski dom?

W tym domu, obecnie jednym z najpopularniejszych muzeów w stolicy Meksyku, artystka przyszła na świat, dorastała, przez wiele lat mieszkała z Diegiem Riverą, a w końcu umarła. W tym domu też kilkakrotnie wracała do zdrowia: najpierw w 1918 roku, gdy zachorowała na polio, a potem w wieku osiemnastu lat po wypadku, z którego ledwo uszła z życiem. Przez prawie dwa lata była przykuta do łóżka, leżąc w gipsie i aparatach ortopedycznych. To właśnie wtedy zaczęła malować: chciała zabić nudę.

Po ślubie z Riverą Frida mieszkała w różnych miejscach w Meksyku, a także za granicą, gdy wyjechała na krótko do Stanów Zjednoczonych. Ostatecznie wróciła jednak tam, gdzie się urodziła.

Ta bogato ilustrowana książka zawiera obrazy Fridy oraz archiwalne ilustracje i zdjęcia rodzinne, przedmioty i artefakty, które kolekcjonowała, a także fotografie miejsc, gdzie przebywała. Przybliży to czytelnikowi regiony kształtujące artystkę oraz dobrze znane jej domy i krajobrazy, z których czerpała inspiracje.

Frida Kahlo prywatnie opowiada o tym, jak kultura meksykańska, tamtejsze zwyczaje i krajobrazy wpływały na życie i twórczość tej niezwykłej malarki. Autorka analizuje obrazy, zdjęcia archiwalne, fotografie rodzinne, przedmioty, które Frida zbierała, ukochane miejsca. To opowieść o kobiecie niezależnej, artystce, która wyprzedzała swój czas i rozsławiła sztukę meksykańską.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Biography, Art History, History, Memoir

176 pages, Hardcover

First published October 27, 2016

Reviews

[Xiazki · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

[Karolina Sosnowska · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://tanayahczyta.wordpress.com/20...

[Jackie Craven · Rating 5 out of 5]

My passion for architecture and my love for surrealistic art come together in this enchanting new book by Suzanne Barbezat. Frida Kahlo at Home is an illustrated biography that examines Kahlo's paintings closely and explains their architectural and cultural references. I loved seeing historic photographs of La Casa Azul and other places where Kahlo lived, and Barbezat's book allows me to inhabit the artist's complex and fascinating world. I've read other Kahlo biographies (always with keen enjoyment) but especially appreciated this one for illustrating the ways Kahlo drew inspiration from her environment, and transformed her environment into a work of art.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth star is for the beautiful photos and paintings brought together here.

This is the only coffee table book I'll ever need. This book was a Christmas present, and I'm very happy with it.

Barbezat does a fine job narrating Kahlo's life story. A lot of this a fairly standard biography and is not really about being "at home" with her until near the end of her life, which I guess makes sense because that's when she spent so much time there (when she wasn't in the hospital). What I like about Barbezat's telling is that she focuses on Kahlo's life and work, not her pain as subsuming and infusing all of that. She was more than her pain. And Barbezat also points out that Kahlo's work IS political and important: her focus on "Mexican" themes and her commitment to leftist causes comes through in the work and in her life. She shaped her world, just as Diego Rivera did. Just because she was a canvas painter rather than a muralist or a woman rather than a man doesn't diminish her contribution to the world of art. And Barbezet shows that Kahlo also kept Rivera's affairs in order, thus freeing him to work on his own art.

Their partnership is weird and powerful and synergistic. They both cared about the same things, if in different ways sometimes. Their devotion to Mexico is inspiring and beautiful. And the way they made art from it as well as wove their personal lives into it is impressive. The Blue House is a testament to Frida's love of Mexico. It's interesting to think about how much the physical world and embodiment in its many forms meant to her. I find her work and life so compelling.

[Lora · Rating 5 out of 5]

4, 5/5 I might say that I love the entire book, but I miss some of the paintings. This is not the type of book you're looking for if you wanna get a full knowledge of her work, it's about her, which is also incredible. The combination of some of her work and photos of her live makes you realize about who she became the woman that we love. I really enjoy it.

[bookstories_travels🪐 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro maravilloso, imprescindible para los amantes de la vida y obra de Frida Kahlo, o los interesados en la misma, y que quieran saber más de como era su arte, y de la influencia de la arquitectura en su obra. El libro no solo es una biografía excelentemente documentada, también tiene un trabajo de edición brutal, desde la portada hasta las fotografías y cuadros a color de las que se vale para ilustrar como fue la existencia de una de las mujeres más influyentes de la cultura actual, y para penetrar en lo más profundo de su ser y su obra. Esto es lo que más me ha conquistado de esta maravilla de volumen.

[Karexa Olguín · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cuando creí que era imposible amar más a Frida, llegó este hermoso libro con sus hermosas ilustraciones a demostrarme que la puedo amar y admirar aún más. Me encantó aprender más de ella. Suzanne hizo un excelente trabajo recopilando toda la información y le agradezco mucho que haya hecho este bonito libro.

[Sandee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Frida and the book itself is nice. But the text reads like a fifth grade book report. Some works of art appear twice. And if you're already well versed in her life story, this won't add anything new. The landscape photos are a nice addition.

[Yvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of pictures and biographical info. Well done.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

No new ground here but enjoyable.

[Jamie]

"'The couple Guillermo Kahlo and Matilde c. de Kahlo give thanks to the Virgin of Sorrows for having saved their daughter Frida from eh accident that happened in 1925 on the corner of Cuahutemozín and Calzada de Tlalpan.' In doing so, she was participating in a long-held tradition. This type of votive painting, called an 'ex-voto' is a form of popular religious art giving thanks to a saint or the Virgin Mary for a blessing or miracle. It can be thought of as a prayer of gratitude and devotion in the form of a painting. the event is depicted in the central plane, the saint who intervened usually appears in the upper section, and there is a written message on the bottom explaining the miracle."

Frida Kahlo, Portrait of Luther Burbank

"Frida broke taboos by depicting the harsh, raw reality of her private experiences in her art. The image of a woman in the act of giving birth, with legs spread wide and blood on the sheets, is shocking even now, but in the 1930's must have been exponentially more so. However, presenting a birth in this way is not completely unprecedented; it recalls some images from pre-Hispanic art, particularly depictions of the Aztec goddess Tlazolteotl who is shown in a squatting position with a head emerging from between her legs."

"Following Le Corbusier's philosophy, he designed and built what he deemed 'the first functionalist house in Mexico', intended for his father, Cecil O'Gorman. It is a boxy building made of unadorned reinforced concrete. The light-filled upper level studio has floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides and can be accessed from outside via an elegant curved staircase."

"Although she never labeled herself as such, emphasizing that she painted her own reality, she enjoyed the recognition that the association with Surrealism brought her at this point in her career. She would later distance herself more firmly from the movement, perhaps becoming uncomfortable with its mainly male and European approach. She wrote: 'I do not consider myself a Surrealist... I detest Surrealism. To me it seems manifestation of bourgeois art. A deviation from the true art that the people hope for from the artist... I wish to be worthy, with my paintings, of the people to whom I belong and to the ideas which strengthen me.'"

"On his trips to Mexico, Nick took many photos of Frida and their group of friends. In her letters to him, Frida signed her name Xóchitl, which is the word for flower in the Nahuatl language."

"The hummingbird could represent the Aztec war got Huitzilopochtli, but in Mexican folk traditions, amulets made of dead hummingbirds are believed to restore a lost love."

"In 1943, Frida painted Roots. ... Frida disavowed religion, but held a strong belief in the interconnection of all living things. This image makes evident her desire to nourish the earth and become one with the land she loved, a place that represented Mexico's enduring character."

"Anahuacalli was only about one third complete at the time of Diego's death. Work on the building continued under the supervision of Juan O'Gorman, and Diego's daughter, Ruth, who was also an architect. It was inaugurated as a museum in 1964. Beyond the building and the massive collection of pre-Hispanic pieces it contains, there is the surrounding ecological reserve of over 46,000 square meters of wild territory, allowing visitors to discover the landscape of El Pedregal the the artists held dear."

[Sarah (TheLibrarysKeeper) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous book that I plan to purchase to add to my personal library. I wanted to check a book or two out on Frida before I go see her personal photography collection at the museum and this was one of the few my library had available.

This book has the right balance of full page beautiful images and text accompaniment. The narrative Barbezat tells of Frida and her many struggles is very well done. The fact that Frida had the ability to take some of the worst life experiences and turn them into beautiful inspired work is truly amazing. Frida took what was going on around her or within herself and turns all of it into a beautiful work of art. I like that her love life was discussed in this book without making it the sole focus of her life. Diego and her other loves were obviously important, but weren't the only part of her life she was passionate about.

Art was how Frida expressed herself, and I love how this book shows that. There is a beautiful two page photograph of Frida and Diego in their garden at the Blue House that shows them looking into each others eyes amid the beautiful natural environment of their house and I honestly think even amid all the trouble they went through and how hard life could be at times for them, they had each other and that was enough. I love this photo and this gorgeous book.

[baruseo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt a connection to this book as well as Frida Kahlo herself when reading this. She was a fierce and confident woman. She was unconventional. She was strange. She was a genius. And she was an artist. Frida was so many things and I could see myself in her. While yes, she did support Stalin and cheated on Diego and did many other questionable things, I think those things can be forgiven in the context of the book and her life.

I especially loved the detailed depictions of Frida's paintings.

My highlights (I read the book in Czech, the quotes won't verbatim):

/"... the reason for why people need to make up or imagine heroes and gods is pure fear... fear of life and fear of death."/

/"I hope departure is joyful - and I hope I will never come back."/

/"I recommend her to you not as her husband, but as an excited admirer of her art, sarcastic and tender, hard as steel and soft and beautiful like a butterfly's wings, lovely like a nice smile and deep and cruel like the bitterness of life."/

/"I do not know what to do when I am not able to see You. I knew it for certain, that I never loved any adult woman like I love my Chiquita, but now, when she left, I only see how much I love her. She knows that she means more to me than life itself..."/

[Artlibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best art history books! Suzanne Barbezat is a wonderful writer and reading this book made me feel like I was next to Frida, observing her life by her side with all her triumphs and her physical and emotional pain. Photos and information that I have never seen in another source. Barbezat is a travel writer and runs a tour company in Mexico, this is her first art history book and I hope she writes more. Barbezat has visual writing style that makes her subject come to life, including descriptions of artifacts found room by room in the blue house.

[Elizabeth Del Real · Rating 5 out of 5]

“During her lifetime, the upper classes in Mexico generally judged Frida as crude and vulgar. She is still derided by many who feel that her popularity is overrated, that she was narcissistic and lacked talent, and that the spotlight on her detracts from other important Mexican and women artists. It is no doubt inevitable that her unprecedented popularity would generate backlash. But ultimately, her influence persists. Her work is unmistakeable, and her creativity and personality continue to appeal to a wide range of people.”

[Mona Frazier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this engaging non-fiction book about Frida's remarkable life. Every page features a captivating photograph—from her artwork and home to her friends, family, and adventures. I've attended three Frida Kahlo art exhibitions, and there were still art pieces I hadn't seen.

It's a generously sized book that beautifully reflects her vibrant life, offering a captivating glimpse into her personal world, her artistic journey, and her family story.

The author's thorough research comes through in this book, which is very 'readable' and fascinating.

[Caterina · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cool book. Well written and illustrated with tons of photos of her work and homes, friends and family. I loved the premise of the book, writing about her life in connection to her living quarters which is so important to anyone especially an artist that makes her life her art. The other facinating part of this book is her relationship to Rivera, and while important, it finally plays second to her life and her art.

[Denise Basinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a quick and easy read, and I learned some things about this artist that I did not know. Beautifully illustrated, but some of her most powerful works were left out.

Although he was an integral part of her life, At some points it felt like more of a biography of Rivera, than of her.

Overall a nice book, and I did really enjoy it!

[Sophy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous book detailing the life of Frida Kahlo.

It gives a comprehensive history from her upbringing right through to her death.

The book is copiously filled with photographs of Frida and her family and Diego Rivera, and her amazing artworks.

A real treat if you're a fan of Kahlo. I had no idea she lived with such physical pain for so many years.

[Micaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful combination of just enough detail and imagery to finish in one sitting. I appreciated the author's description and brief analysis of the paintings. A solid overview but brief look at the main points of Kahlo and Rivera's lives together. I would have liked a few more images of the house as it progressed through time.

[Cristina Mendoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really easy to read book. I liked that the author included very little paintings from Diego but only those that were necessary for explaining certain circumstances. I also enjoyed that she included many images of her paintings and a possible explanation of what they meant. I really enjoyed reading this book.

[Wojciech Szot · Rating 4 out of 5]

To opowieść uczciwa - bez wielkich ambicji ale rzetelnie przedstawiająca fakty z życia Kahlo. Za to fantastycznym dodatkiem są tu zdjęcia samej Fridy - bije z nich niesamowita moc, którą lubię się podładować i zerkam niespiesznie co kilka dni na wybrane wizerunki.

[Celeste Samuel · Rating 2 out of 5]

No me gustó , lamento decir que si bien el archivo y trabajo de la autora fue enorme y la felicito por eso , me pareció aburrido , habla mucho de la historia de México y la entrelaza con la de Frida . Lo que si vale son las fotos que hay que son muchas y las obras obvio .

[Cameron Toney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up with the idea that this book was a study of Kahlo via the places she lived, the spaces that she inhabited. And there is a little of that, but it really came across more as a biography of Kahlo. That's not a bad thing, just not quite what I was hoping for.

[Maria Almaguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous book about Kahlo's life filled with photographs and art reproductions. Much more engaging writing than the Hayden Herrera biography.

[Cari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I've read almost everything ever written about Frida and there were things in this book that were new discoveries. Purchased it after I finished it to add to my collection.

[Victor Amaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

El mejor libro hasta ahora que he leído sobre de Frida Kahlo.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy more insight into an artist I have found fascinating for years.

[Maruška Ambrozová · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful in its simplicity.

[Ewa Mech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bardzo ciekawa książka! 😍 Można się z niej wiele dowiedzieć ❤️