Muses

Exploring Frida Kahlo’s papaya. And that most horrible of biblical words.

My last post referenced the sexual nature of a Kahlo painting of papaya.

A friend mentioned that she wished there had been a picture of the papaya.

Well, I did what any 21st post modern woman would do. I went to the nearby stream and made pigments from nature and painted a copy.

No silly. I googled it.

And here is what I found.

The Bride Frightened at Seeing Life Opened.

And then I found this one.

Pico de Gallo.

And as I was reading the commentary of this painting at the blog Feasting on Art 

Once again I was struck by how a seemingly silly thought,  sexual nature portrayed in open fruit had a much deeper meaning.

You see Frida Kahlo was unable to bear a child.

Barren.

That most horrible of biblical words.

I remember learning that she had a miscarriage. I guess she had a few of them.

The above mentioned post suggested that as her pain deepened over her infertility — her art represented the organs she prayed would  function — like the way everyone organs on the planet seemed to.

Well. She probably didn’t pray since she was an atheist.

But everywhere she looked.

The dog got pregnant and gave birth. The maid cleaning her floor became pregnant and gave birth. Heck, the ancient mother of 12 two houses down, because pregnant again.

And gave birth to two beautiful, brown-eyed boys.

Yet Kahlo’s body failed her.

I might not get the papaya but I get that.

The canvas was her journal. The papaya her pain.

I don’t think I would paint papayas though. I’d have written about a woman in a novel who was running from a zombie.

No being chase by a pineapple.

A vampire bearing a pineapple?

To be continued  . . .

           

           

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