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74 | GRAVITAS MAGAZINE GravitasMag.com known to have extramarital affairs with both women and men, including Isamu Noguchi, the prominent Japanese- A merican painter and landscape artist, and Josephine Baker, the singer and dancer. R ivera was known to be involved with his nude portrait subjects, one of his ex-wives, and even Kahlo's younger sister, Cristina. at ultimate family betrayal led Kahlo to cut off most of her trademark dark hair. While the couple divorced in 1939, they still remained together and became active communists. ey befriended Leon Trotsky aer he fled to Mex ico to receive political asylum during Joseph Stalin's leadership, living in Kahlo's house where the couple had an affair. Life As An Artist roughout her career, Kahlo created at least 140 paintings, along with dozens of drawings. A mong her collection, there are 55 self-portraits, which oen incorporate symbolic portrayals of physical and psychological wounds. Her paintings were influenced by her personal pain and experience adorned with her colorful Mex ican culture and primitive style. At the only solo galler y showing in the United States, she received a commission, from famed magazine editor Clare Boothe Luce. Kahlo was asked to paint a portrait of actress Dorothy Hale, who had commied suicide by jumping from a high-rise building. Rather than painting a traditional portrait of the actress as a remembrance for her family, Kahlo painted a depiction of Hale's tragic leap titled "e Suicide of Dorothy Hale." A rt critics and aficionados around the world heralded her brazen and controversial artwork. Strong in spirit but weak from the pain, Kahlo continued to paint and express her life through her work. During one show in Paris, she painted one of her most famous works, "e Two Fridas." e painting shows two versions of her, siing side by side with both hearts exposed. One Frida is dressed nearly all in white, has a damaged heart and spots of blood on her clothing. e other wore bold- colored clothing with an intact heart. ese figures are believed to represent "unloved " and " loved " versions of Kahlo. is became the first work the Louvre purchased from a 20th centur y Mex ican artist. Her health declined over the few months, forcing doctors to amputate her right leg and she suffered from bronchopneumonia and an x iety aacks. In her last self-portrait, "No Moon at A ll," the images showed a ver y w ithered and ill woman. Just 11 days aer she aended a political demonstration in 1954, K ahlo died at her childhood home reportedly from a pulmonar y embolism. However, many have speculated that her death was a suicide. Lingering Legacy It was not until her death that Kahlo went from artist to feminist leader. Her childhood home, La Casa A zul, reopened as a museum and the feminist movement of the 1970s embraced her as an icon. Her life's stor y was featured in an Academy Award-nominated film starring Salma Hayek and A lfred Molina. Kahlo's 100th birthday was commemorated with the largest ex hibit of her paintings that included manuscripts and leers previously never displayed. Her signature fashion style still graces the runways of top designers and photographers continue to showcase her personal artifacts. Her raw emotional artistic style, as well as her invincible personal strength, showed an intimate look at her sorrow and struggles - without apologies or fear. Today, Kahlo leaves a legacy for all women to continue to persevere and succeed. Nella DeCesare is a eelance writer and marketer who resides in Southwest Florida. NellaDeCesare.com "I am not sick. I am broken. But I am happy to be alive as long as I can paint." Frida Kahlo, 1938

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