eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality

Frida Kahlo: An Artist 'In Between'

Anna Haynes (Cardiff University)
'I never painted dreams. I paint my on reality.' !u"# as $rida %a#lo's
resolute response #en "onferred it# t#e title '!urrealist' (%a#lo& '()*&
n.p.).
'
Her or+& #i"# seems to impinge on ,ot# !urrealist and Magi"al
-ealist orlds& ,rings toget#er t#e purportedly disparate realms of fantasy
and reality. myt#ology and rationality. native Me/i"an votive art and
0uropean '#ig#' art.
2
In #er self1portraits& t#e personal& national and politi"al
overlap to represent #er sundry #y,ridity. 2#e "ultural lo"ations #er artor+
e/plores& ,eteen and a"ross t#e a/es of ra"e& se/& gender and se/uality&
'3ueer' t#e ,inaries t#roug# #i"# differen"es are normatively mapped.
*
It is
#ere t#at t#is arti"le ma+es its intervention. 4ypassing t#e "urrent
preo""upation it# %a#lo's "ele,rity in favour of "lose readings of #er
paintings& I ill unpi"+ and reeave t#e t#reads of resistan"e to "ultural
dualisms running t#roug# #er or+. 5etailed analysis of #er narrative
images ill fo"us on t#e "onfli"ts ,eteen duality and plurality& "ontingen"y
and differen"e& spe"ifi"ally it# regard to #er identifi"ation as a ra"ial and
'
%a#lo did #ave some material as ell as artisti" and personal "onne"tions it# t#e $ren"#
!urrealists. Andr6 4reton and #is ife 7a"3ueline 8am,a& it# #om %a#lo #ad an intimate
love affair& ere among t#e $ren"# !urrealists t#at s#e en"ountered. 9#ilst on a trip to
Me/i"o& 4reton invited %a#lo to $ran"e to e/#i,it #er or+ to t#e 0uropean artisti"
fraternity and general pu,li" ,ut& ta+ing up t#e invitation& s#e found upon #er arrival t#at
not#ing #ad ,een organi:ed ,y 4reton and it as only it# Mar"el 5u"#amp's #elp t#at t#e
e/#i,ition ent a#ead. ;n several o""asions in #er diary and in a letter to #er "#ild#ood
love and life1long "ompanion& t#e "ommunist a"tivist and leader of 8as Ca"#u"#as&
Ale<andro =om6: Aria: (#e #ad ,een it# %a#lo in t#e street"ar #en t#e a""ident
o""urred) s#e displayed a ve#ement distain for t#e movement and its mem,ers #o ere
variously des"ri,ed as a ',un"# of "oo"oo lunati" sons of ,it"#es>so damn ?intelle"tual?
and rotten t#at I "an't stand t#em anymore' (Herrara& '(@(& pp.2A21A)). Ideologi"ally& s#e
e/pressed an attitude s#ared ,y t#e Cu,an riter of Magi"al -ealist fi"tion& An<elo
Carpentier& t#at #at t#e !urrealists "odified in t#eir Manifestoes as revolutionary #ad
alays e/isted in t#e fa,ri" of Me/i"an and 8atin Ameri"an "ulture (Carpentier& '(A().
2
2#e pre1"olonial votive tradition of reta,los is influential in %a#lo's or+. !mall& ,rig#tly
"oloured oil depi"tions of religious figures on metal or ood are painted as t#an+s1giving to
t#e gods.
*
'Bueer' is used #ere as a ver, to signify t#e a"tion of desta,ilising normative and
normalising #egemoni" "ultural dis"ourses #i"# see+ to marginalise dissident and de1
"entralised su,<e"tivities. 7udit# 4utler #as ritten idely on t#e re1appropriation of '3ueer'
(4utler& '((C).
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eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
se/ual 'mesti:a'.
A
$rida %a#lo's identity and #er relations it# marginality& I
ill argue& em,ody a 3uestioning of reality #i"# s#e em,ra"ed and
disseminated as ,ot# an ardent proponent of am,iguity and an artist 'in
,eteen'.
2#e sour"es of %a#lo's #y,rid identity are multiple. 4orn in
Coyoa"Dn on 6 7uly '(CE to =uillarmo %a#lo& a =erman 7e of Hungarian
des"ent& and Matilde CalderFn& a part1Indian devout "at#oli" and meti"ulous
"onservative& Magdalena Carmen $rida %a#lo CalderFn as t#rust into t#e
restless so"ial "limate t#at prefa"ed t#e Me/i"an Geople's -evolution.
)
2#e
#istori"al moment and "ultural lo"ation of #er early e/perien"es "ontained in
a "#rysalis t#e ma<or elements t#at ould mar+ #er art and life: an
un"ompromising "ommitment to resistan"e and ,elief in t#e value of "#ange
oven into& and from& an a,iding ra"ial and se/ual #eterogeneity #i"#
itself ,e"ame an identity s#e ,ot# struggled it# and sei:ed. In a deferential
introdu"tion to #er diary& Me/i"an riter Carlos $uentes aligns %a#lo it#
#er #omeland& suggesting t#at t#e pain and resilien"e endemi" in #er or+
unders"ores ,ot# #er personal turmoil and t#e politi"al state of Me/i"o.
5es"ri,ing #er ,irt# in "oin"iden"e it# t#e '('C uprising #e rites: ',orn
it# t#e -evolution& $rida %a#lo ,ot# mirrors and trans"ends t#e "entral
event of tentiet#1"entury Me/i"o>ma+HingI #er fantasti"ally&
unavoida,ly& dangerously sym,oli" J or is it symptomati"K J of Me/i"o'
($uentes& '(()& p.'C). 0ven a ,rief en"ounter it# %a#lo's oeuvre suggests
t#at #er art in some ay refle"ts and reprodu"es a 'reality' #i"# is ,ot#
individual and national& raising 3uestions #i"# e/amine #o and it# #at
effe"ts "ulture is "omposed of regimented divisions implemented and
sustained repetitively to separate& "odify& order and define its varied
"omponents. Indeed& so rigorous as %a#lo's ideologi"al fervour& and so
strong #er affiliations it# #er nation 1 #i"# s#e "on"eived in #er painting
A
'Mesti:a'& t#e feminine form of 'mesti:o'& is t#e Hispani" term meaning 'mi/ed' and is
normally used to des"ri,e a person of mi/ed ra"e. Here I use it to refer to a mi/ed
identifi"ation along t#e a/es of se/& gender and se/uality as ell as ra"e.
)
$or a detailed ,iograp#y of $rida %a#lo see Herrera& '(@(.
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eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
and riting as a living& ,reat#ing and dynami" "orpus 1 t#at s#e reassigned
#er date of ,irt# to mat"# t#e year of t#e Geasants' -evolt& erasing a
"#ronology purportedly et"#ed in stone ,y ma+ing #erself t#ree years
younger. As a student s#e as a mem,er of '8as Ca"#u"#as' ('2#e Caps')&
engaging fully in Mar/ist endeavours to "on3uer ine3uity in a ay t#at
elided divisions of t#eory and pra"ti"e& a"ademe and a"tivism. 2#e reality
t#at s#e "laimed and painted as #ers as dou,tless a "omple/ 'mesti:o'.
6
Leit#er #olly e/ternal nor #olly internal& ,ot# sym,oli" and
symptomati"& and "ru"ially sym,ioti"& #er in"onsistent and inter1"onne"ted
realities& it seems& also painted #er.
!"#isms& a,sen"es& and e/"esses J t#e "on<oined "auses and effe"ts
of #er 'in ,eteen' identity J are oven into t#e narratives of $rida %a#lo's
life and or+& and none more so t#an in t#e depi"tions of #er 'self' seen in
t#e mirror. 4ed1ridden for mont#s after a #orrifi" street"ar a""ident in #er
teens t#at left #er spine& pelvis& legs& and reprodu"tive organs permanently
damaged& #er family arranged for a mirror to ,e fitted over #er ,ed so t#at
s#e "ould re"over #ile painting #erself (Herrera& '(@(& p.2E). Her
e/planation for t#e enduring e/ploration of #er on su,<e"tivity ,egan #ere:
'I paint myself ,e"ause I am so often alone and ,e"ause I am t#e su,<e"t I
+no ,est' (-odrMgue:& '(A)& n.p.). In t#is sense& #er 'self' as #er reality&
and #er paintings of t#e reality s#e sa refle"ted in t#e mirror ,e"ame t#e
$rida t#at lives on in #er self1portraiture as ell as t#e $rida s#e lived as
every day.
E
2#e Casa A:ul& #er family #ome #ere s#e as ,orn& lived most
#er life& died& and #i"# no #ouses t#e Museo $rida %a#lo& is full of
mirrors. 8ola Alvare: 4ravo's image of $rida al+ing in t#e "ourtyard t#ere
6
'Mesti:o' is used #ere to suggest t#at $rida lived and painted a reality t#at is itself a
"omple/ mi/& dependent on multiple and interse"ting a/es of su,<e"tivity in"luding se/&
gender& se/uality& ra"e& nationality& politi"al affiliation& personal #istory& pre1"olonial
myt#ology and spirituality.
E
2#ese to $ridas& #i"# mig#t ,e "onventionally des"ri,ed as 'pu,li"' and 'private'& are in
t#is instan"e not so easily demar"ated. 2#eir "ontingen"y is #eig#tened ,y %a#lo living
3uite a pu,li" private life and ,y t#e fa"t t#at #er paintings #ave not alays ,een very
a""essi,le to t#e pu,li". ;n"e again& oppositional '"ertainties' are undermined.
*
eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
('2#e 2o $ridas'
@
) s#os #er simultaneously peering into and out of a
mirror ,uilt into an e/ternal all. Alvare: 4ravo's to $ridas seem engaged
in t#e sear"# for somet#ing undefined& yet spe"ifi"& #i"# t#e fo"al point of
t#eir "onvergent ga:es parado/i"ally lo"ates ,ot# inside and outside of t#eir
selves. ;,livious to t#e vieer's ga:e and loo+ing into a spa"e ,eteen t#e
to planes t#ey o""upy respe"tively& t#eir eyes rest on t#e same point ,ut
from to different perspe"tives. a point t#at t#e vieer of t#e p#otograp#
presumes e/ists alt#oug# it remains to t#em unseen. 2#e pi"ture "riti3ues
t#e tenden"y to put fait# in 'reality' it#out 3uestioning #at 'reality' itself
signifies or it# #at motivations and effe"ts it is "onstru"ted. Alvare:
4ravo remar+s t#at 'it seems as t#oug# t#ere really is anot#er person ,e#ind
t#e mirror' (=rim,erg& '(('& n.p.). Indeed& t#e mirror image appears as 'real'
as t#e 'real' $rida& yet t#ere is little sense t#at t#e refle"ted $rida is situated
',e#ind' t#e mirror. 2#e fa"t t#at s#e seems in ,ot# images to ,e operating in
t#e same spatio1temporal plane reinfor"es t#at similarities "o1e/ist it#in
and ,eteen differen"es. '!ameness' and 'differen"e' do not inevita,ly
operate as dis"rete ,inary oppositions. $urt#ermore& as a representation of
t#e distin"tion ,eteen refle"tion and reality J of t#e invisi,le spa"e
,eteen t#e to $ridas t#at e/ists as a division or ,ridge rat#er t#an in and
of itself J it ,rings to lig#t t#e idea t#at ,ot# $ridas are in fa"t reprodu"tions
#ose "ontingen"y unsettles t#e vieer's sense of #o 'reality' is "on"eived&
managed and (re)deployed. 2#e p#otograp# "orresponds to %a#lo's
understanding of #o ostensi,ly in"ongruent positions "onverge in #er
varied su,<e"tivity. 9#ile t#e "onfli"t of opposites in #i"# s#e as
"onsistently entangled remained an elusive mystery to #er& t#e plurality s#e
insisted upon impelled an e/traordinary "reativity t#at "ross1e/amined #o
su,<e"ts are ,ot# normatively "onstru"ted as J and in J singular realities
and strategi"ally ,ound in t#e stati" ,inary distin"tions of naturalised
@
!ee #ttp:NN.p#otograp#sdonot,end."omNartistsNfridae,NimagesN2tofridas.<pg (2
$e,ruary 2CC6).
A
eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
ideologi"al trut#s.
(
In so doing& a via,le 'in ,eteen' spa"e& or at t#e very
least a possi,ility for it& is opened up. %a#lo's self1portraits& #i"# "omprise
roug#ly a t#ird of #er entire oeuvre& e/plore pre"isely t#is tension. ;ne of
#er most famous paintings& also "alled '2#e 2o $ridas'& s#os #er dire"t
en"ounter it#& and resistan"e to& t#e esta,lis#ed notion t#at su,<e"ts "annot
in#a,it and #ouse t#e oppositional terms of "ontradi"tions at t#e same
time.
'C
$ramed in t#e same spatio1temporal moment& #er to 'selves' are
different yet "onne"ted in a visually ,rutal and tender image: t#ey s#are t#e
same #eart. 2#e ri"#& lustrous "olours t#at sat#e t#e ,ody of t#e Me/i"an
$rida radiate in star+ "ontrast to t#e stiff #ite purity of #er 0uropean self.
In traditional 2e#uana dress s#e sits& legs parted and fa"ing t#e vieer& more
open t#an #er some#at prim "ounterpart #ose +nees are appropriately
#eld toget#er and turned in. Her left #and presents a talisman ,earing a
portrait of #er ,eloved 5iego& #i"# a"ts as a sym,oli" origin1destination of
t#e main artery t#at tists around #er arm to "arry life1supporting ,lood to
#er #eart and ,a"+. In t#e rig#t #and of #er neatly em,roidered la"e1"lad
self& s#e #olds a surgi"al "lamp to #alt t#e flo of ,lood& #i"# if left
untapped ould #aemorr#age and result in deat#. Her 'rational' self& t#en&
#ose #eart "#am,er is empty& is also fig#ting to sustain life at a time #en&
re"ently divor"ed from -iviera& %a#lo is do"umented to #ave temporarily
lost #er "#ara"teristi" joie de vivre. 2o let #er #eart rule over #er #ead mig#t
in su"# "ir"umstan"es prove fatal. In '2#e 2o $ridas'& #eart and #ead are at
on"e in "onfli"t and "onne"ted ,y multiple lineages t#at surpass mutually
e/"lusive polarities.
''
2#is allied dissonan"e& so "ru"ial to %a#lo's
(
2#e prominent ,inary distin"tions t#at are naturali:ed as 'trut#s' #i"# are t#en organi:ed
into #ierar"#ies in #i"# one term is normatively deemed positive and t#e ot#er negative
in"lude maleNfemale (se/)& mas"ulineNfeminine (gender)& #eterose/ualN#omose/ual
(se/uality)& #iteN,la"+ (ra"e)& and t#ese are ins"ri,ed to maintain a politi"al and dis"ursive
,order ,eteen insideNoutside. (Ci/ous & '(@6.) $or important t#eoreti"al insig#t into #o
,inary oppositions #ave formed t#e ,edro"+ of 9estern metap#ysi"s of differen"e see
5errida '(@2.
'C
!ee #ttp:NN"gfa.sunsite.d+N+a#loN+a#lo'6.<pg (2 $e,ruary 2CC6).
''
Garado/i"ally& in t#is arresting painting& as in t#e narrative of %a#lo's life& -iviera& #ose
love inspired #er& represents #er gravest t#reat (s#e as reported to say to a friend after
dis"overing #is affair it# #er sister: 'I #ave suffered to serious a""idents in my life& one in
)
eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
su,<e"tivity& is "ondensed in t#e <oining #ands at t#e "entre of '2#e 2o
$ridas'. 2#e #ite $rida& it# gravity and reason on #er side& pus#es #er
#and don into t#e Me/i"an $rida's #and& #i"# em,ra"es it #ile resisting
a pressure t#at mig#t ot#erise su,merge #er. 4efore a tur,ulent s+ys"ape&
%a#lo's to selves are "on<oined yet separate& generi"ally similar and
"ru"ially different. Lot simply opposed to ea"# ot#er& t#e "onfli"ts e/ist
,eteen and it#in t#em& and +nitted into t#ese disparities is a vital
dependen"y. Her e/posed internal organs& seamlessly e<e"ted into t#e
e/ternal orld& 3uestion t#e presumed inevita,ility of ,inary distin"tions
and ma+e visi,le t#e "on"ealed 'in ,eteen' spa"e of Alvare: 4ravo's
p#otograp#. %a#lo's dou,ling& #i"# ena"ts a "omple/ negotiation of #er
'self' at one spe"ifi" point in t#e "ontinuing narrative of su,<e"tivity&
suggests t#at t#e pro"ess of division itself "annot ,e deta"#ed from t#e
"onte/ts t#at surround it and t#at it attempts to separate. In '2#e 2o $ridas'&
%a#lo paints a reality in #i"# differen"es are mutually dependent. 2#e
dominant assumption t#at t#e orld and its "omponents are alays and
already divided into to "olumns of #ierar"#i"al ,inary terms t#at are
#ori:ontally and verti"ally dis"rete is painted out of t#is "anvas. Indeed& for
%a#lo& it seems never to #ave e/isted as a natural la at all.
Interesting #ere is a diary entry entitled ';rigin of 2#e 2o $ridas' in
#i"# %a#lo des"ri,es t#e memory of an imaginary friend of #er "#ild#ood:
my imaginary friend alays aited for me>I do remem,er
#er <oyfulness J s#e laug#ed a lot. !oundlessly>I folloed
#er in every movement and #ile s#e dan"ed I told #er my
se"ret pro,lems>Ho long #ad I ,een it# #erK I don't
+no. It "ould #ave ,een a se"ond or t#ousands of years>I
as #appy> It #as ,een *A years sin"e I lived t#at magi"al
friends#ip and every time I remem,er it it "omes alive and
#i"# a street"ar ran over me>2#e ot#er a""ident is 5iego' (Oamora& '((C& p.*E). !#e also
rote in #er diary a lament to -iviera in #i"# #er "onsuming love and admiration for #im
is emp#ati": '5iego ,eginningN5iego ,uilderN5iego my "#ildN5iego my ,oyfriendN5iego
painterN5iego my loverN5iego ?my #us,and?N5iego my friendN5iego my mot#erN5iego my
fat#erN5iego my sonN5iegoPmePN5iego UniverseN5iversity it#in Unity' ($uentes& '(()&
plate 6C).
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eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
gros more and more inside my orld. ($uentes& '(()& plates
@21@).
2#e unity of #i"# %a#lo rites re"alls t#e imaginary plenitude of t#e
primordial and pre1oedipal realms. sa"rosan"t and inno"ent pla"es #ere
esta,lis#ed mar+ers of time ma+e no sense& #ere t#e past "omprises t#e
present and t#e future is spe"ulative& and #ere magi" is an integral part of
reality. -ooted in nostalgia& t#e remem,ered friends#ip des"ri,es an
asso"iation it# #er 'self' #i"# mig#t ,e understood in psy"#oanalyti"al
terms as an imaginary re"on"iliation of ego and id J of "ons"iousness and
un"ons"iousness J #ose "onne"tion #ad ,een severed ,y a per"eived
unloving relations#ip it# #er mot#er.
'2
'My Lurse and I'& #i"# s#e
regarded as one of #er finest pie"es& denotes t#e re<e"tion s#e felt ell into
adult#ood in ,eing passed on to a et1nurse #ile #er mot#er "arried and
gave ,irt# to #er younger sister& C#ristina.
'*
2#is fra"ture in t#e maternal
relations#ip as amplified ,y %a#lo's ina,ility to ,ear a mu"# anted "#ild:
#er damaged om, and vagina resulted in several mis"arriages& one of
#i"# s#e depi"ted in 'Henry $ord Hospital' #ere an over#elming sense
of loneliness is e/pli"it.
'A
2#e memory of "o#esion and "ontentment& #i"#
feels more and more 'real' to #er ea"# time it is re"alled& seems to ,e soug#t
in t#e passionate atta"#ments %a#lo made t#roug#out #er life: in friends#ips
and fi/ations& and most nota,ly in #er love for -iviera. Hoever& #ile
t#ese intense dependen"ies #ave ,een deli,erated and t#eorised as attempted
resolutions of nar"issisti" tenden"ies J or as 'self1o,<e"ts' J in a re"ent
study ,y !alomon =rim,erg ('((@)& t#e small ,ut signifi"ant drops of ,lood
on $rida's lap in '2#e 2o $ridas' #ave ,een largely overloo+ed.
')
2#ey
'2
In psy"#oanalysis& t#e 'ego' refers to a su,<e"t's stru"tured me"#anisms and enfor"es t#e
reality prin"iple& #ile t#e 'id' is "on"erned it# t#e pleasure prin"iple and instant
gratifi"ation (-y"roft& '(6@). In 'normal' development& t#e ego and t#e id operate toget#er.
$reud's seminal essays& '2#ree essays on t#e 2#eory of !e/uality'& originally pu,lis#ed '(C*&
give a psy"#oanalyti" reading of t#e possi,le "auses and "onse3uen"es of severed
"onne"tions ,eteen t#ese aspe"ts of t#e su,<e"t ($reud& '((').
'*
!ee #ttp:NN.a,a"us1gallery."omNs#opinfoNuploadsN'C22)E(*@'Qlarge1
imageQf+nurselg.<pg (2 $e,ruary 2CC6).
14
!ee #ttp:NN"gfa.sunsite.d+N+a#loN+a#lo'2.<pg (2 $e,ruary 2CC6).
15
!ee #ttp:NN"gfa.sunsite.d+N+a#loN+a#lo'6.<pg (2 $e,ruary 2CC6).
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eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
point us again to t#e "omple/ plurality of %a#lo's identity& and a"t as a point
of departure from #i"# to 3uestion t#e politi"al motivations and effe"ts of
a,sor,ing ra"ial and se/ual am,iguity into t#e ,inaries of oppositional
t#oug#t.
2#e ';ne 5rop of 4lood' myt# (%lein& '(E@& n.p.) de"rees t#at a
person it# one drop of 'negro' ,lood is ,la"+. As a 'mesti:a'& %a#lo is
neit#er a native Me/i"an Indian (des"endant of t#e A:te"s) nor a Me/i"an
0uropean (des"endant of eit#er t#e !panis# "on3uistadors or su""eeding
$ren"# invaders). Hoever& t#e im,alan"e of ra"ial #ierar"#y does not
simply posit #er 'in ,eteen' "ultures& for t#e "ultural lo"ation of 'mesti:os'
in 8atin Ameri"a& li+e '"riollos' in t#e Cari,,ean and 'mulattos' in t#e
!out#ern United !tates& is "omple/. -a"ially neit#er ,la"+ nor #ite& nor a
simple "om,ination of t#e to& 'mesti:os' are "aug#t in a volatile
,attleground ,eteen "ultural assumptions of ',la"+ness' and '#iteness'.
Alongside t#ese "onstru"ted "ategories of "ontained and "ontaina,le ra"ial
purity& t#e 'mesti:o' presen"e plays a"ross t#e slas# of visi,ilityNinvisi,ility&
desta,ilising its oppositional logi". ;n t#e one #and& 'mesti:os'& li+e
',ise/uals' in t#e se/ual #ierar"#y& are deemed 'prefera,le' to ,la"+s and gays
respe"tively for t#eir greater pro/imity to t#e #egemoni" "itadels of
#iteness and #eterose/uality. ;n t#e ot#er #and& and in t#e same ,reat#&
t#ey are despised for t#e stain of t#e 'opposite' t#ey ,are& for t#e ra"ial and
#eterose/ual privilege t#at 'passing' as eit#er #ite or straig#t mig#t earn&
and t#us for daring to "laim an identity of any sort it#in or outside t#e
,inaries t#at govern esta,lis#ed identity politi"s. 2#e tra"e of oppositionality
remains& and& as su"#& any value t#e 'mesti:o' or ',ise/ual' is a""redited&
positive or negative& is derived t#roug# t#e terms of ,inary opposites and&
most pertinently& allo"ated ,y t#ose #o& in one ay or anot#er& ',elong'. As
$rit: %lein e/plains in a proposal t#at aligns ,ise/uality it# ra"ial
#y,ridity:
9#y is t#e person not seen as #ite at least in degreeK 2#e
anser is as simple as it is profane. A t#reat is ,est dealt it#
@
eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
if it is dismissi,le. In t#e orld of se/ual "#oi"e t#e
#omose/ual is t#e ,la"+>t#e ,ise/ual is really a #omose/ual
it# a s"re loose>t#e #omose/ual may #ave ,een despised
for #is 'perversion&' ,ut #is or #er psy"#ose/ual e/isten"e #as
never ,een in 3uestion. 2#e #omose/ual ,elongs. He or s#e
#as a "ulture. He or s#e "an ,e loyal to a team. (%lein& '(E@&
n.p.)
In su"# a s"#eme& t#e t#reat of unde"ida,ility "an purportedly ,e "ontained
in and ,y t#e 'e/"luded' terms of ,inary #ierar"#ies& in t#is "ase ,la"+ and
gay& #ere it "an t#en ,e marginali:ed so t#at #ite #eterose/uality
"ontinues to reign supreme. Hoever& 'mesti:os' and ',ise/uals' represent a
graver t#reat to #eteronormativity t#an ,la"+ness and #omose/uality.
Cultures stru"tured around polarities need groups t#at its mem,ers "an
identify eit#er it# or against. Lormative "ultural pra"ti"es& #i"# "arve
ra"ial and se/ual topograp#ies into territories of 'us' and territories of 't#em'&
are alays suspi"ious of t#ose #o traverse or tread t#e ,orders in ,eteen.
2#e rea"tionary dis"ursive tropes of invisi,ility and silen"ing ensure t#at for
t#ose su,<e"ts #o ,lur t#e "ultural ,oundaries ,eteen 'self' and 'ot#er' ,y
resisting t#e me"#anisms t#roug# #i"# t#ese divisions are "ontinually re1
et"#ed& it "an ,e diffi"ult to ena"t a via,le 'identity'. Hoever& t#e drops of
,lood in '2#e 2o $ridas' es"ape t#e surgi"al "lamp& e/"eeding t#e
,oundaries of t#e to "on<oined ,odies striving to "ontain t#em. Certainly&
t#e differen"e ,eteen diffi"ult and impossi,le is a "reative "#allenge #i"#
t#is painting refuses to deny and #i"# %a#lo's dissenting desires "ontinue
to re1ena"t.
In spite of J and per#aps& ,e"ause of J diffi"ulties t#ere in#erent&
%a#lo soug#t out unpredi"ta,le pla"es #ere meanings "ould ,e untied and
rearranged to "reate t#ings ane. 2#e self1identifi"ations s#e presents in #er
paintings invo+e 7o 0adie's dis"ussion of ,ise/uality as a mis"egenate
lo"ation #i"# #e des"ri,es as 'a pla"e #ere t#ere is a diffi"ult mi/ing of
supposedly in"ompati,le orientations>dangerous e/"#anges& #i"# disrupt
t#e identities e #ave ,uilt up& and lead to unpredi"ta,le pla"es' ('((*&
(
eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
p.')@). 2#e '0/3uisite Corpse' pi"tures s#e "reated it# 8u"ienne 4lo"#&
#i"# repli"ate t#e !urrealist game of t#e same name& e/ploit su"#
unpredi"ta,ility and in so doing ena,le seemingly "ontradi"tory oppositions
to "o1e/ist.
'6
A form of s#ared automati" draing& one person dras t#e
#ead& folds it over to "on"eal it from t#e ot#er person #o t#en dras t#e
,ody& and so on. In t#is "ase& t#e result is a pair of "omi"al yet revealing
portraits of %a#lo and -iviera. 2a+ing t#e #ead as t#e identifying mar+er of
ea"# lover& $rida& round1,reasted it# full #ips& #olds a fig leaf on strings
over prominent male genitalia #i"# drip into a "up pla"ed ,eteen #airy
legs& #ile 5iego's ,road #ead tops a ,room1,earing tisted torso adorned
it# ,reasts& male ,utto"+s and "urva"eous feminine legs. 2#ese se/ual
#y,rids re"apitulate t#e e/"esses of gender in %a#lo's self1portraits #ere
#er stern mas"uline e/pression& "#ara"teristi" single eye,ro resem,ling a
,ird in flig#t& and fu:: of fa"ial #air are <u/taposed it# t#e e/oti"ally
feminine dresses& <eels& ri,,ons and ,raids it# #i"# s#e adorned #er
small and s#apely ,ody. Interestingly& as a young adult s#e dressed in men's
suits for several family portraits& an image t#at s#e returned to in '!elf1
Gortrait it# Cropped Hair' after #er split it# -iviera.
'E
In t#e painting& a
musi"al s"ore it# t#e lyri"s 'see& if I loved you it as for your #air. no
you're ,ald& I don't love you anymore&' is ins"ri,ed over#ead. $rida pi"tures
#erself "utting off #er 'femininity': an a"t of resistan"e t#at e/presses t#e
frustration provo+ed ,y feeling valued solely for #er original "ostumes and
stri+ing long dar+ #air. Hoever& in #er left #and s#e #olds on to a tress and
in #er rig#t ear s#e still ears a dangling earring& and t#e mas"ulinity s#e
ears in t#e form of an oversi:ed dar+ suit is ill1fitting. #er tiny feet& #ands
and #ead seem lost. 2#e "om,ined strengt# and vulnera,ility of t#is portrait&
t#en& is a re<e"tion of t#e mutual e/"lusiveness of mas"ulinity and femininity
in favour of a simultaneous "o1e/isten"e of ,ot#. In t#is ay& %a#lo
performs t#e polarities of t#e normative se/1gender1se/uality matri/
16
!ee #ttp:NNtinypi"."omNe,e+i/.<pg (2 $e,ruary 2CC6).
17
!ee #ttp:NN.moma.orgNimagesN"olle"tionN$ull!i:esNCC'**C(@.<pg (2 $e,ruary 2CC6).
'C
eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
"on"omitantly& putting into pra"ti"e 7o 0adie's t#eory of (,i)se/ual #y,ridity:
't#e #y,rid a"+noledges t#e part t#at t#e past #as played in "onstituting
ne "ultures and identities& and t#en displa"es t#e dominant (and
dominating) "ulture's attempt to ens#rine itself>,y supplementing it and
t#ere,y reriting t#e future' ('((*& p.')(). 4y 3uestioning t#e parameters of
t#e gender dualism spe"ifi"ally and t#e ,inary edifi"e in general& t#ese
provo"atively <arring images ,egin to e/tend t#e dis"ursive limitations of t#e
#ierar"#i"al se/ual matri/ t#roug# #i"# dissident se/ualities are
dis"ursively poli"ed. $urt#ermore& se/ual differen"es are posited as
"ontingent it#& rat#er t#an separate from& t#e multiple a/es of su,<e"tivity
t#roug# #i"# individual su,<e"ts and group identities sym,ioti"ally "ome
into ,eing.
Certainly& %a#lo's delig#t in differen"e as pervasive and it
disregarded "ultural distin"tions ,eteen and a"ross t#e terms of se/&
gender& se/uality and ra"e. As an a"tive advo"ate of 'in ,eteen1ness'& s#e
also "#allenged per"eived partitions among t#e realms of art& politi"s& and
lived e/perien"e. A""ordingly& t#e #opes and an/ieties s#e entertained in #er
paintings ere entangled in t#e ay s#e lived #er life. A signifi"ant 'detail'
#i"# #as for t#e most part ,een silen"ed ,y studies to date on $rida %a#lo
(and #ere spo+en& only as an appendage) is t#at& alt#oug# devoted to 5iego
-iviera& #er se/ual su,<e"tivity as not "onfined to #im. !#e #ad many
intimate and se/ual affairs it# ot#er men and omen during 5iego's
infidelities& marital rifts and t#e years of divor"e. Lota,ly& t#oug# not
surprisingly& t#ose it# men are ell do"umented #ile t#ose it# omen
remain largely "on"ealed.
'@
Hoever& in #er diary& $rida in"ludes a
trans"ription of a love letter ritten to painter 7a"3ueline 8am,a& ife of
Andr6 4reton& s#ortly after #er return from $ran"e #ere s#e visited 8am,a:
'@
%a#lo's ,ise/uality is mentioned as an after t#oug#t (=rim,erg& '((@& p.@E)& seemingly as
no more t#an an apparent mar+ of eviden"e for #at is e/plained as 'an e/oti" persona t#at
"ould not #elp ,ut dra t#e attention of ot#ers'. Also& in t#e re"ent ,iograp#i" film of
%a#lo's life& Frida (2CC2)& #er affairs it# omen are only ,riefly tou"#ed upon. Hoever&
#er ,ise/uality seems never simply a personal "#oi"e or se/ual preferen"e ,ut also a
politi"al stan"e.
''
eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
I #ave not forgotten you J t#e nig#ts are long and diffi"ult.
2#e ater. 2#e s#ip and t#e do"+ and t#e parting>and you
ga:ing at me so as to +eep me in your #eart. 2oday& I is# my
sun "ould tou"# you. I tell you& your eye,all is my eye,all>
Rours is t#e #uipil it# magenta ri,,ons. Mine t#e an"ient
s3uares of your Garis>Rou too know t#at all my eyes see>is
5iego>Rou felt it& t#at's #y you let t#at s#ip ta+e me aay
from 8e Havre #ere you never said good1,ye to me. I ill
rite to you it# my eyes alays. %iss ////// t#e little girl.
($uentes& '(()& plates ''1'*)
2#e intimate "onne"tion ,eteen t#ese to omen is severed& it seems& ,y
%a#lo's e"lipsing adoration of 5iego& yet t#ere remains an important ,ond
t#at e/ists alongside 5iego's omnipresen"e. 2#is understanding of dissident
desires fissures and redefines t#e esta,lis#ed "on"eption of se/uality #i"#
determines t#at a su,<e"t is eit#er 'straig#t' or 'gay' at any given point in time.
In revealing #ere t#at s#e is neit#er one nor t#e ot#er& %a#lo& as an
em,odiment of t#e dis"ursive trope of a,sen"e and e/"ess& desta,ili:es t#e
dominant "ultural frameor+ t#at see+s to order and "urtail insurgen"e.
'(
Indeed& t#e spa"e surrounding t#e o,li3ue stro+e of oppositional differen"e
is $rida %a#lo's domain. Her liminal stan"e is entined it# t#e personal
demands and politi"al o,ligations t#at s#e set for #erself. As an in"itement
to "ultural revolution as ell as a guarantor of diverse se/ual su,<e"tivities&
#er lo"ation 'in ,eteen' sees #er "aug#t in& resisting& defined ,y and
,rea+ing out from "omple/ "ulture dis"ourses of ra"e& gender& se/uality and
su,<e"tivity #i"# are "ontinuously riting t#emselves and ,eing re1ritten&
as s#e re1rites #erself from and into t#em. 2#is is& per#aps& #ere ,ot# #er
strengt# and fragility are ine/tri"a,le: s#e pus#es t#e ,oundaries of a reality
t#at see+s to paint #er& turning ,a"+ on it to re1paint it (and) #erself.
Lo#ere is t#is tension ,eteen resilien"e and vulnera,ility more
,oldly illustrated t#an in a stri+ing portrait of #er ,ro+en ,ody& '2#e 4ro+en
'(
2#e dis"ursive trope of a,sen"e and e/"ess& #ere,y ,ise/uality is on t#e one #and elided
and on t#e ot#er #and deemed an e/"ess of se/ual desire& is #istori"ally prevalent in
literature& art and dis"ourses on se/uality from t#e =ree+s& t#roug# se/ology and
psy"#oanalysis rig#t up to 8es,ian and =ay li,eration movements. ($or t#oroug# and varied
a""ounts of t#is trope in s"#olars#ip on ,ise/uality& see Cantarella& 2CC2. Hall and
Gramaggiore& '((6.)
'2
eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
Column'.
2C
4ound in a steel ort#opaedi" "orset& s#e is "onstri"ted ,y t#e very
frameor+ it#out #i"# s#e ould "ollapse. A+ardly supported ,y an
e/posed i"oni" "olumn riddled it# fra"tures& #er no,le #ead loo+s out from
a desolate lands"ape. 2#e ruptures in #er ,ody& ,eteen #er ,ody and t#e
land& and in t#e land itself foretell t#e diffi"ulties endemi" in t#e ,oundless
pra"ti"es of personal e/ploration and "ultural revolution. Her steadfast ga:e
not only a""epts t#ese "#allenges it#out 3uestion& it also "onfronts t#e
vieer's ga:e and in so doing returns t#e "#allenges to t#e orld ,eyond t#e
frame. At t#e same time& t#e "#iasmi" lands"ape& ,a"+drop for #er enduring
loneliness& see+s to engulf #er in an almost apo"alypti" image of t#e last
oman in a ,lea+ and ,arren fading eart#. 2#e pins pun"turing t#e surfa"e
of #er s+in present %a#lo as a sa"rifi"ial deity& and t#e "lot# s#e #olds ,elo
#er aist resem,les a s#roud #i"# "overs #er legs J as #er e/travagant
dresses did in life J in preparation for #er ,urial. Hoever& t#e
"#ara"teristi" mas+1li+e e/pression& #i"# refuses to su""um, to t#e tears
t#at as# #er "#ee+s& up#olds #er strongest "onsisten"y: a resolve to fig#t&
to resist& and a,ove all& to survive ,eing alive. In t#is "onte/t& t#e ,lea+
ruptures of '2#e 4ro+en Column' oddly "on"eal and endorse t#e am,iguous
ideal of "ontingent differen"e t#at %a#lo e/tolled. Her flayed and open s+in
tena"iously #olds #er splintered self toget#er& "onne"ting disparate and
"onvergent 'selves'& #i"# are in no ay isolated from t#e orlds s#e is
in#a,ited ,y and in#a,its. -epresenting t#e personal and politi"al as
ine/ora,ly lin+ed& s#e paints t#e largest pins pier"ed into #er #eart and
om,: #er to great vulnera,ilities& #i"#& alongside #er staun"# politi"al
,eliefs& "aused #er so mu"# sorro and drove #er unusual "reativity.
2#e pe"uliar vera"ity and remote solitude t#at resonate t#roug#out
%a#lo's self1portraits do not o""lude a sense of #ope. In '2ree of Hope'&
2'
painted after a ma<or operation on #er spine& s#e turns #er ,a"+ on t#e $rida
20
!ee #ttp:NN.f,u"#."omNimagesN2#e4ro+enColumnAA".7G= (2 $e,ruary 2CC6).
2'
!ee #ttp:NN.art"#ive."omNart"#iveN+N+a#loN+a#loQtreeQofQ#ope.<pg (2 $e,ruary 2CC6).
'*
eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
"onfined to a #ospital trolley& ta+es off #er "orporeal restri"tions& and&
luminous in magenta under a full moon& aves a golden flag upon #i"# is
ritten 'tree of #ope& stay firm'.
22
2#e painting "ele,rates t#e persistently
gritty spirit t#at narrates %a#lo's self1representations and seems to #old t#e
impetus of #er "#ara"teristi" :eal: in ,ot# pleasure and pain& to feel t#e
a"#ievements and disappointments of life is& in $rida's paintings& to ,e alive.
Indeed& t#e p#ysi"al torment s#e endured& and t#e psy"#i"al and emotional
unrest s#e suffered& seemed rarely to num, #er. 5uring #er final de"line
toards deat# s#e de"lared& 'I am not si"+ I am ,ro+en. 4ut I am #appy to ,e
alive as long as I "an paint' (%a#lo& '()*& n.p.). !#e also famously rote in
'()*& '$eet #at do I need t#em for if I #ave ings to flyK' ($uentes& '(()&
plate '*A). Indeed& $rida ,elieved s#e "ould fly& and a year later& as a result
of spiritual enlig#tenment& artisti" li"en"e& or t#e "o"+tail of potent drugs s#e
as ,y t#is stage ta+ing& s#e did. In t#e final entry in #er diary& an
e/pressive in+ draing of an as"ending angel #ose ,la"+ ,oots negate t#e
legs t#at "aused #er so mu"# pain& a lifelong desire for pea"e is finally
fulfilled: '!leep& sleep& sleep'& s#e rites ($uentes& '(()& plate 'E'). 5eat#&
t#en& is not "on"eived as a de"line or an end ,ut as an as"ent to anot#er
,eginning. As %a#lo e/plains& 'Lo,ody is separate from any,ody else>
Anguis# and pain& pleasure and deat# are no more t#an a pro"ess' ($uentes&
'(()& plates EE1E@).
Indeed& t#e ri,,ons& arteries& roots and vines t#at run li+e t#reads
t#roug#out $rida's or+ are oven toget#er in #er mantra& 'diversity in unity'
($uentes& '(()& plate 6C). In tying toget#er t#e elements t#at "omprise #er
am,iguous 'self'& %a#lo demonstrates an a"ute aareness of t#e "omple/
"onne"tions it#in and ,eteen su,<e"ts and t#e orld #ile avoiding
fa"ile resolutions of t#e very "onfli"ts t#at engender #er paintings and ma+e
t#em so poerful. 2#is seems to guide %a#lo's vision of e3uality e/isting
alongside differen"e. 9ritings and s+et"#es t#roug#out #er diary e/plore t#e
22
In a letter to Ale<andro =Fme: Arias dated *C 7une '(A6 s#e rote: '!o t#e ,ig operation
is ,e#ind me no>I've got to #uge s"ars on my ,a"+'.
'A
eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
tangi,ility of simultaneous opposites& and t#e painting 'SF"#itl'& or '2#e
$loer of 8ife'& mar+s an important moment #ere e/"lusive oppositions
are superseded.
2*
2#e se/uali:ed p#alli"1vaginal floer uses ,ody parts
re"ogni:a,le as male and female to engender an image t#at is not part1male1
part1female& ,ut somet#ing ne t#at retains "ontingen"y alongside
differen"e. 9#ile patriar"#al& #eteronormative and imperialist ideologies
and pra"ti"es t#i"+en t#e o,li3ue stro+e of ,inary distin"tions& %a#lo's
image erodes t#e very metap#ysi"al premise t#at up#olds t#em& rendering
t#e divisive slas# muta,le. Cru"ially& 'SF"#itl' neit#er e/tols nor negates
se/ual differen"e. More radi"ally t#an t#at& it re1"on"eives t#e stri"tures
t#roug# #i"# differen"e is normatively "oded& "ontended& and impressed.
As su"#& $rida %a#lo's artisti" et#os& rooted in #er ideologi"al outloo+&
"oin"ides it# t#e t#eories e/tolled in ,i1se/ual politi"s of t#e late tentiet#
"entury. 7o 0adie& satirising t#e ruling premise of identity politi"s& states
t#at:
2#e ;t#er "annot ,e inside our on spa"e: its ,irt# destroys
t#e #ost& so t#at #ere 't#em' ,egins 'us' #as to stop>t#e to
"annot& ultimately& "oe/ist>to a"+noledge& to give birth to
t#e ot#er in us is supposedly to "ease ,eing #o e are
altoget#er. 2#e reality& of "ourse& is very different. (0adie&
'((*& p.')A)
2#roug# #er art& $rida lived t#is different reality& announ"ing t#at giving
,irt# to t#e ot#er it#in us is #ere '#o e are' ,egins.
2A
!elf1pro"laimed as 't#e one #o gave ,irt# to #erself' ($euntes& '(()&
plate A()& $rida %a#lo painted #er on reality. re"laiming it& refle"ting it and
repeatedly re1living it. A performer of gender roles& una,as#edly e/"essive
in femininity as ell as mas"ulinity& and an intimate lover of ,ot# omen
and men& s#e painted narratives and rote images t#at e/ploit t#e "reative
23
!ee #ttp:NN.ellesley.eduN!panis#N%a#loQ=alleryNimagesNlargeNlaQflor.<pg (2
$e,ruary 2CC6).
2A
Homi % 4#a,#a's #y,ridity t#eory& spe"ifi"ally #is "on"eption of a '2#ird !pa"e'& is
interesting #ere: '>it is t#e ?inter?>t#e in-between space J t#at "arries t#e ,urden of t#e
meaning of "ulture>And ,y e/ploring t#is 2#ird !pa"e e may elude t#e politi"s of
polarity and emerge as t#e ot#ers of ourselves' ('((A& pp.*@1().
')
eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
tensions "on"ealed and "ompelled ,y oppositional rationale. 4oldly
"onfronting t#e t#orny imperative of su,<e"tivity& s#e em,ra"ed #er
#eterogeneous marginality as a valua,le politi"al standpoint as ell as an
innovative personal imperative. Her or+s re1a"tivate identities as
assem,lages of dynami" and in"omplete parts operating in t#e various
"ultural "onte/ts t#at partially produ"e and are produced by t#e su,<e"ts
#o in#a,it and perform t#em. Ger#aps most "ompellingly of all& t#oug#&
#er arresting ga:e fi/es t#e vieer& unsettling t#e assumed division ,eteen
t#e mo,ile vieing su,<e"t and its inert vieed o,<e"t& and returning t#e
vieer's s"rutiny toards a "onsideration of #o& and it# #at effe"ts&
identity and marginality are normatively dealt it# and re"on"eived.
Hy,ritidy of ra"e& se/& gender and se/uality "oales"e in $rida's or+ to
disrupt "ogently t#e paradigm of sameness versus differen"e t#at #as
#istori"ally elided dissident identities. Her paintings& #i"# negotiate t#e
intri"ate tensions ,eteen identity and marginality& situate #er 'in ,eteen'.
A "urious artist and "ommitted idealist& s#e painted magi" it# a realist
,rus#& and in so doing dealt it# differen"e differently.
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'6
eSharp Issue 6:2 Identity and Marginality
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