I chose the visual art Roots by Frida Kahlo. Frida Kahlo was born on July 6, 1907 in Coyacan, Mexico. She is best known for her self-portrait paintings. Out of her 143 paintings, 55 are self-portraits. Kahlo’s paintings were inspired by her personal experiences and many were characterized by suggestions of pain. She once said, “I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best.”
Kahlo was in a horrible accident during her teenage years and suffered immense injuries as a result. The accident broke her spinal column; collarbone, many of her ribs, her pelvis, and caused several fractures in her right leg. It also crushed and dislocated her right foot, and dislocated her shoulder. Also, an iron handrail pierced her abdomen and her uterus during the accident. This severely damaged her reproductive ability. As a result of her injuries she endured as many as thirty-five surgeries, mainly on her back, right leg, and right foot. Kahlo suffered a great deal of pain throughout her life as a result of the accident. She spent three months recovering in a full body cast and although she did eventually recover and regain her ability to walk she suffered from painful relapses for the remainder of her life. In addition to the accident, Kahlo was also a polio survivor and had originally planned on attending medical school, but after her accident neglected the study of medicine and turned to art.
Kahlo’s Painting Roots was created in 1943 in her home country, Mexico. This piece is considered one of her most beautiful and identifying self-portraits. It is meant to symbolize her reunion with estranged husband, Diego Rivera, after an undesirable phase of pain and suffering. The painting also displayed Kahlo’s desire to have children, in addition to her inability to procreate. The detailed and lifeless stems surrounding Frida in her painting portray her infertility, her severely injured body, her lost love ones, and other undesirable circumstances in her life. Roots broke a world record at Sotheby’s auction. This piece sold for $5,616,000, which is the highest price a Latin Mexican artist ever commanded.
I found this piece to be beautiful and strong. I immediately found it to be aesthetically pleasing and had already known tidbits of information regarding Frida Kahlo. That is why I chose this piece. I thought it had an honest message and appreciate Kahlo as an artist and woman.
Resources:
ezinearticles.com/?Her-Most-Famous-Painting-(The-Roots)—Frida-Kahlo&id=2329193
Lisa's Voice 
WOW! great job. I almost picked this piece of art but then I found something I liked better. You wrote a lot of the background of the person which helped me to see through her eyes to the heart of the art. Yes, her work is kind of startling but now that I know some of her story, I appreciate it more, thanks to you. Great job.