Symbols and Frida Kahlo

1. High Museum of Art
Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting

2. Describe what you see in
this painting.
What do you see?
What do you think the
objects in the painting
mean?
What does it make you
wonder?
https://www.youtube.com/wat

3. 1907-1954
Painter, born in
Coyoacán, Mexico
Painted many self-
portraits
Began painting after a
terrible bus accident
forced her to stay in
bed
She often showed her
feelings in her
paintings
Married to artist Diego

4. The accident was always a major part of her life story
She began painting the casts and focused on symbols that were important to her

5. Frida often painted her
self-portraits in a way
that told a story. She
sometimes showed her
feelings in her paintings.
Sometimes she told
about her homeland of
Mexico.
What do you think she is
telling us about her self
in this self-portrait?

8. 1. Go to each Frida
painting that is posted
in the room. 4min.
2. Draw 2-3 aspects of
each painting that you
find interesting.
3. Organize each aspect
that you choose to
create a composition
that is full and
balanced.
Composite
Drawings
Don’t Forget to
•Draw Large
•Overlap
•Go to the Edge

9. Jacob Lawrence

10. For your own work…
What objects would you
use to tell a story about
you?
What symbols would you
use to represent who you
are or what you like?
Create a list of 10 things
about yourself
For each item, develop a
symbol