Book Review: Frida Kahlo: The Still Lifes

Non-Fiction Book Reviews

By Sandy Amazeen Apr 28, 2008, 3:31 GMT

Mexican painter Frida Kahlo’s vivid still lifes are the focus of this fascinating, in-depth look at an unusual, talented and tormented artist who lived from 1904-1954 and whose work remains hugely popular with collectors to this day. Grimberg, an art historian uses his expertise as a psychiatrist to understand what was going on in Kahlo’s mind as she created a stunning body of work filled with subtle meanings drawn from her rich cultural history. Obsessed with death, Kahlo once confided that she painted flowers so they will not die and it was this theme of stopping time along with the inability to have children that dominated much of her work. Drawing upon his psychiatry background to see beyond the surface, Grimberg casts light upon her works with considerable insight and attention to detail. For instance, when Kahlo was refused an illegal prescription for Demerol from a doctor she owed a painting to, she retaliated by painting pumpkins along with a back view of a coconut. Grimberg explains the meaning of this arrangement in such a way as to feel a strong connection with the artist. Anyone with an interest in Mexican art in general and Kahlo in particular will want to add this approachable, captivating book to their library.

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Book Review: Frida Kahlo: The Still Lifes

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