Did you know that one of Mexico’s most iconic artists is Frida Kahlo? Kahlo was a talented and eccentric painter best known for her nature inspired art that also paid homage to Mexico’s artifacts. Villa La Estancia homeowners should head south to Puerto Vallarta on Saturday, November 1st from 9 am to 3pm to attend an interpretive exhibit celebrating Frida Kahlo at the Vallarta Botanical Gardens. The exhibition will contain works from local and international artists. The daily entrance fee into the Vallarta Botanical Gardens is just 200 pesos, and is one of Puerto Vallarta’s top attractions for visitors and locals alike. Are you a Villa La Estancia resident looking for something fun to do? If so, continue to read below about the inspiring Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, and make sure to attend the “Spirit of Frida” at the Vallarta Botanical Gardens on November 1st.

Frida Kahlo: Master Painter & Mexican Icon

Kahlo was a skilled painter that is best known for her many portraits and self-portraits that were Inspired by Mexico’s popular culture and folk art. Through her art, she was able to question identity, postcolonialism, gender, class, and race in Mexican society. has Often described as a surrealist or magical realist, many of her paintings contain strong autobiographical elements. A master at mixing realism with fantastical elements, she was also involved in the post-revolutionary Mexicayotl movement that sought to create a Mexican identity.

The Early Life of Frida Kahlo

Born to a German father and Mexican mestiza mother, Kahlo spent most of her childhood and adult life at La Casa Azul, her family home in the neighborhood of Coyoacán in Mexico City. Today, the Frida Kahlo Museum is found in her childhood home that visitors love to explore and learn more about this incredible artist’s life. Kahlo was disabled by polio as a child, but was very intelligent and intended to go to medical school until a traffic accident at age eighteen. Her injuries were severe and contributed to serious pain and continued health issues. While she recovered from the accident, she started painting again and her passion for art was reignited.

Artistic Development and Diego Rivera

Kahlo joined the Mexican Communist Party in 1927 where she met fellow Mexican artist Diego Rivera. The two quickly fell in love and married a year later in 1928. They spent the late 1920’s and early 1930’s travelling throughout Mexico and the United States as Kahlo continued to paint and develop her artistic style. Inspired by Mexican folk culture, the majority of her paintings were small self-portraits that blended pre-Columbian and Catholic beliefs. Kahlo’s first solo exhibition was held in 1938 in New York at the Julien Levy Gallery thanks to the support of surrealist artist André Breton who was impressed by her talent.

Kahlo Recognized by Art Historians

Kahlo’s fame as an artist didn’t occur until the late 1970’s when her work drew the attention of art historians and political activists. Later, in the early 1990’s she had become an important figure in art history and icon for Chicanos, feminists and the LGBT movement. Kahlo’s work is celebrated internationally as a unique representation of Mexican national and indigenous traditions that art lovers appreciate and admire. Many people say that Kahlo’s depiction of the female experience and form is truly genius.

Villa La Estancia residents in Riviera Nayarit should clear their schedule to head to the Vallarta Botanical Gardens on Saturday, Nov. 1st. Come celebrate the work and life of Frida Kahlo, and spend a day enjoying the beauty of the Vallarta Botanical Gardens. The Vallarta Botanical Gardens have numerous observation trails to explore as well, the most visited public orchid collection in Mexico, and is home to a vast diversity of Mexican plant species. Villa La Estancia homeowners should not miss the “Spirit of Frida”, an exciting cultural event at the Vallarta Botanical Gardens on November 1st.