This may be a tad late, but in celebration of International Women’s Day I wanted to do a special post.

Of course IWD was all about celebrating women, so I decided that I wanted to celebrate one woman in particular.

A lot of you may already know this as I often tweet/tumblr about it, but my idol is Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) was a Mexican painter who is well known worldwide for her self-portraits.

Described as surrealist, her work heavily features artefacts of her personal struggles, life in Mexico & Mexican culture.

Frida had a troubled life as she suffered from several health problems, most of which stem from a bus accident she was in as a teenager. She later went on to marry Diego Rivera, a man whom she loved deeply, but unfortunately their marriage was not stable. Diego and the affairs that occurred between the two of them are also heavily featured in her art. 

To me, Frida and her work are exceptionally beautiful.

Her paintings show the physical and psychological wounds she suffered from.

Not only that but they represent how proud she was to be a Mexican woman living through the revolution.

Even though her art is bright, bold and wonderful that isn’t the only reason she has become my idol.

She suffered greatly through her life; miscarriages, health issues, marital difficulties and yet she still remained a strong woman. She provoked what was mainstream and often discussed taboo subjects. Even though her art didn’t truly become popular until the 1980s, she was a representative of Mexico and feminists worldwide. I respect her for the decisions she made during her life, and the way she handled love and lose. 

For me, Frida is a role model; someone to admire and learn from.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Frida Kahlo I would recommend the movie ‘Frida‘.

Or the biography, which the film is based on: Frida: The Biography of Frida Kahlo.

Did you celebrate International Women’s Day?

Who is your idol?

Source; 1, 2, 3, 4