On March 5th, artist Azul Barrientos performed a show in Light Hall Theater. Barrientos brought Frida Kahlo’s story back to life in a creative way that was easily enjoyed by the audience. Kahlo lived through many hardships in her lifetime, and she was never given any recognition while she was alive for her work as a painter.
Barrientos is originally from Mexico City and grew up admiring Kahlo not only her work but her amazing story. The performance combined storytelling with traditional Mexican folk music to tell the story of Kahlo who lived in Coyoacán, Mexico during the first half of the 20th century.
Kahlo passed away in 1954 at the age of 47, but her work continues to be admired. Seen by Mexican people as their new Guadalupana, “Virgin Mary”, Kahlo is an important historical female model not only to Latin people but to the whole world. Her work which was once seen as nothing but a hobby is now seen as a masterpiece of surrealist painting. She typically painted self-portraits using vibrant colors in a style that was influenced by Mexican as well as European Surrealism.
Azul Barrientos’s music is available on iTunes and Spotify
