Psychological research on themes of illness, pain and death in the paintings by Frida Kahlo

• Main Authors: Qiao-yi Huang, 黃巧宜
• Other Authors: Jung-hsi Kao
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/26np5z

碩士 === 國立新竹教育大學 === 藝術教育與創作碩士班 === 101 === Mexican woman artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) was renowned in the early 20th century. She was afflicted with polio as a child, but it did not change her youthful vitality and passion. However, when she was eighteen years old, she was in a car accident that shifted her spine and crushed her right foot. A metal handle pierced her pelvis, resulting in loss of fertility. This serious car accident caused Frida’s life to be diverged from her originally planned track. As Frida was facing a significant challenge in her life, she began to paint. Through art, Frida was able to overcome a dark low point in her life. However, Frida’s tribulations were not over. In 1929, she married 43 year-old Mexican artist Diego Rivera. He was the love of Frida’s life, but was also the man who hurt Frida the most. Diego was humorous and interesting, but he was not a loyal husband. After the marriage, he had an extramarital affair with Frida’s sister Cristina, which caused Frida great distress. In 1939, she divorced Diego, but they still loved each other deeply. In 1940 Frida remarried Diego. The marriage was quite volatile, but Diego was still Frida’s great love, and he affected her the most. This study primarily explores the psychological images of disease, pain, and death in the works of Frida Kahlo. The first part focuses on the internal structure of Frida’s works by following the chronology of life events, dividing the periods into chapters on childhood memories, stories behind self-portraits, love of a lifetime, and reflections of life; these chapters explore the psychosomatic conditions and expressions in the paintings of Frida in each period. The second part conducts external comparisons of Frida with artists in other periods, primarily selecting artists between the First and Second World Wars who had similar life experiences or similar topics in their works. The comparisons are described in the three dimensions of disease, pain, and death. This study attempted to use the life attitudes of Frida Kahlo toward the diseases, pain, and death that she experienced, to explore the effect of art, as well as the kind of power that art brings to artists which supports them throughout the trials and tribulations of life. This study further compares the attitudes and ways between Frida Kahlo and her contemporary artists when they faced similar experiences.