Frida Kahlo, a symbol of the ‘selfie’

Besides being an icon of Mexican culture , the painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is now a symbol of the ‘ selfie ’ since, unlike other painters, she used self portraits as way to express herself, according to the communications director of the Dolores Olmedo Museum (MDO), Adriana Jaramillo .

“Through the self portrait she expressed and communicated everything she felt. If we were to extrapolate her style to millennial culture and social media , you could say she was the first person to take ‘selfies’ regularly as a means of expression. She painted herself over a hundred times in different ways,” stated the spokeswoman of the premises hosting the Mexican painter’s largest collection.

The cultural transvestism of Frida Kahlo

Adriana Jaramillo was interviewed on occasion of the artist’s 111th birthday . She commented on Kahlo’s suffering, her skills as a portrait painter, and her love life alongside the muralist Diego Rivera . “These are some of the reasons why Frida Kahlo has awaken a great level of interest among art enthusiasts worldwide.

“But people relate to her mostly because of her life and work. There is a direct and emotional link between those things. She’s the only artist that we refer to by using her first name, because we know it better than her last name. It’s not like Rivera, Picasso, Orozco, or Carrington, it’s just Frida, and people relate to her on a personal level.

“On top of that, her work appeals to all those suffering from physical disabilities and those with a complicated love life. People relate to her personally and emotionally,” Jaramillo stated. To her, the painter is a symbol of feminism and Mexican culture, which is why she also appeals to the LGBT+ community . She is one of Mexico’s strongest representatives all around the world.

As of today, the Dolores Olmedo Museum’s entire collection will travel to Budapest, Hungary , where the National Gallery will host an exhibition with 26 of her works.

Under the title “Frida Kahlo, Masterpieces from the Dolores Olmedo Museum,” the exhibition offers a journey through Frida’s life and work.

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