Mexican artist known for her surrealist self-portraits and works inspired by Mexican folk art. Despite chronic pain from a bus accident, she created 143 paintings, 55 of which were self-portraits, transforming suffering into iconic art.
Core Values
What Frida prioritized and lived by, ranked by importance.
Unflinching self-expression through her art
Creating beauty despite immense physical suffering
Celebrated Mexican heritage when Western art dominated
Intense emotional life reflected in love and art
Refused to conform to expectations of women artists
How They Spent Their Time
A typical distribution of how Frida allocated their energy and attention.
Creating art despite physical limitations
Underwent 30+ surgeries in her lifetime
Communist party, cultural events
Tumultuous marriage, twice
Paris, New York, showcasing work
Guiding Principles
"I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best."
"Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?"
"I used to think I was the strangest person in the world... now I know there are others like me."
"At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can."
What They Sacrificed
- Constant physical pain from bus accident injuries
- Multiple miscarriages due to her injuries
- Emotional turmoil from Diego Rivera's infidelities
- Never achieved financial security during her lifetime
Their Legacy
- 143 paintings that changed how we view female self-portraiture
- Icon of Mexican cultural identity and feminism
- Inspiration for artists worldwide to embrace authentic expression
- Casa Azul museum visited by 500,000+ annually
Learn More
Would you consider Frida's life a "good life"?
What would you embrace? What would you do differently?