25th Annual Student Research Conference
Frida Kahlo: Mexicanidad y Mujeres
Rebecca A. Pursley
Dr. Julia DeLancey, Dr. Sara Orel, and Dr. Heather Cianciola, Faculty Mentors
Frida Kahlo asserts her role in the Mexicanidad movement through her use of Aztec objects. The Mexicanidad movement embraced Mexico's indigenous heritage over the culture imposed by European conquerors in order to discover that which was truly Mexican. Mexicanidad artists such as David Alfaro Siqueiros and Diego Rivera also utilized Aztec imagery to code for indigenous culture; however, Kahlos use of these objects is incorporated into her art which is small compared to the towering murals for which these artists were known. Her painting Self-portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird from 1940 serves as an example of the symbolism that Kahlo uses to convey her own place within the Mexican political system, as well as the place that women should have in this movement. This paper will examine how Kahlo, through incorporating Aztec imagery into her paintings, explores a place for women artists in the Mexicanidad movement and Modern Mexico.
Keywords: Kahlo, Art, Aztec, Mexico, Modern, Women and Gender Studies
Topic(s):Art - Art History
Women's and Gender Studies
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 114-3
Location: OP 2210
Time: 8:30