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The Frida Kahlo Self-Portraits : The Objectification Of Self As A Symbol And Statement, Diane Zimbaldi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Even with the vast analysis done on the work of Frida Kahlo, little attention has been paid to both the artist’s probable abuse as a child and her intentional abortions as an adult. This study chooses to incorporate these findings to reexamine six of her famous self-portraits, Self Portrait on the Borderline of Mexico and the United States, My Birth, Henry Ford Hospital, Self Portrait with Monkey, What I saw in the Water and The Two Fridas to uncover a new perspective. Scrutiny of the artist’s words, combined with historical fact dispels the current myth that Kahlo’s painting was done …