The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo

June 23, 2015 by csjclriverside 2 Comments

Join us for a screening of this inspiring film in honor of Frida Kahlo’s 108th birthday!

Amy Stechler’s documentary The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo is an intimate portrait of the iconic artist. Through the lens of Kahlo’s life and art, the film explores Mexican culture, communism in Latin America in the 1920s-30s, the congregation of innovative artists in Mexico City, and the revival of interest in popular culture for which Kahlo has become a symbol.

Kahlo’s art offers an intimate exploration of self, revealed in the dozens of self-portraits through which she tells the dramatic story of her life. She was severely injured in a bus accident at 18, and her paintings reflect the debilitating effects she endured: 35 operations, body casts, metal corsets, constant pain, and the inability to bear a child. Her depiction of herself as a complex individual challenged Western ideals of frail femininity, and it’s no wonder she has endured as a figure independent of the status quo and interconnected with the natural world.

Shot on location in Mexico, the film offers unprecedented access to photographs, paintings, newsreels, and home movies, many of which have never been published or broadcast. Kahlo’s work delves into the intricacies of self, and the film follows the story of her life through her paintings, which are, in her words, “the frankest expression of myself.”

The film will screen as part of our First Thursday Artswalk Film Series at 6:00 pm and at 7:45 pm. Admission is free, but seating is limited; contact the Center to reserve your spot today! socialjustice@rccd.edu, (951) 222-8846.

This post was contributed by volunteer Danielle Sanchez.