I've long admired Frida Kahlo's art, and the more I have learned about her over the years, the more I admire her as a feminist trailblazer and thinker. During her lifetime Kahlo faced serious discrimination for being a female artist and was often seen as "the wife of famous muralist Diego Rivera… who also paints." Since her death, Kahlo's esteem in the art world has grown significantly due in part to evolving attitudes about women's roles in society, but I think largely because her paintings are so evocative and memorable. I love that Kahlo adopted the philosophy after a severe bus crash injury at age 18 that art can help overcome hardship and that we should turn misfortune into a source of energy and inspiration to grow spiritually and do good things. Kahlo is frequently the subject of her work, and she uses roots, flowers, and foliage to represent history, unity between humans, and human connection to the earth. I celebrate Kahlo as someone who was unique in her paintings, fashion, and how she processed her challenges and navigated the world.
-Shepard
The Woman Who Defeated Pain (Frida Kahlo). 24 x 36 inches. Offset on thick cream Speckletone paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey. $35
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