Karolina’s Reviews > Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo > Status Update

‘ I adore surprises and the unexpected. I like to go beyond realism. For this reason, I would like to see lions coming out of that bookshelf and not books. My painting naturally reflects these predilections and also my state of mind.’

‘In a sense Frida was like a Mexican piñata, a fragile vessel decorated with frills and ruffles, filled with sweets and surprises, but destined to be smashed. Just as blindfolded children swing at piñata with a broomstick, life dealt Frida blow after blow. While the piñata dances and sways, the knowledge that it is about to be destroyed makes its bright beauty all the more poignant.’

‘Painting was part of Frida Kahlo’s battle for life. It was also very much a part of her self-creation: in her art, as in her life, a theatrical self-presentation was a means to control her world.’