In the six decades since her death, Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) has become one of the most celebrated and universally admired painters; her works have sold for millions of dollars in auctions and her image is made all the more mythic by her personal legend. Best known for her self-portraits – which exude beauty in the way she accepts her imperfections – Kahlo is recognized as a groundbreaking figure, ahead of her time in both aesthetic sensibilities and fashion sense. She is undeniably one of the most emblematic female painters of our time. I must add that even though I've been studying art history since the age of nine, I only discovered Kahlo's story and the body of her work about 10 years ago, while living in New York City and studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Both Kahlo's work and her unbelievable life story immediately struck a cord with me, and continue to do so. As I explore the meaning of life through art, the insights that arise within me are influenced by her contribution. I'm neither going to write much about the polio that struck her as a child nor about the horrifying accident she went through as a teenager. It is true that those tragic events helped shape her identity and her work, but even more than these influences, it was the strength she found to overcome her hardships, developing a power, energy and creativity in spite of these painful tragedies. What is most inspiring to me about Kahlo is that even though her life was indeed full of tremendous physical pain and emotional turmoil, she somehow was able to rise above it all. I believe that she lived life to the fullest. Be it in her painting or in her relationships with others, she pushed the boundaries both technically and conceptually – so much so that she ultimately became a great source of inspiration for younger generations. It is interesting to explore how Kahlo's art and lifestyle influence the art and fashion world today. The images I chose to present here try to accomplish just that. I created these images to pay homage to Kahlo, while showing different takes on fashion design and contemporary style. It demonstrates how her spirit still uniquely impacts today's design and art photography. The writer is a multimedia artist, fashion photographer and trendsetter. For Creative Impulse, the author shares her reflections on art, fashion and photography, illustrated by her original text and imagery. For more inspiration visit www.ellamanor.com; for comments and suggestions email creativeimpulse@ellamanor.com
FRIDA’S STILL-LIFE JEWELS(photo credit: ELLA MANOR)