The Misinterpreted Female Artist: An Analysis of Frida Kahlo's Art

Latin American art has a special place in the history of art. Because of its various cultures and ethnicities, Latin America has developed a distinctive artistic style, and many of its artists in the second half of the 20th century made distinctive contributions to art world (Bethell, 1998). Local artists at this time preferred to draw inspiration from local history, ethnicity, and geography and to express their authentic selves in their works rather than copying the theories of Western European art schools.Frida Kahlo is a female painter who must be mentioned in the history of Latin American art. People are becoming increasingly interested in Latin American artworks due to globalization. When studying her works, many scholars examine the meaning behind them from a feminist perspective. This essay aims to analyze Frida Kahlo's artwork from the Charles Taylor's self-identity theory. Frida's initial intention may not be to focus on political influence and social significance as advocated by feminist artists, but she is more inclined to use her works to reflect her own personal experience. This essay argues that Frida is not only not a feminist but also likely a female artist who has made a compromise with patriarchal society based on her behavior.