Frida Kahlo: The Two Fridas and Self-Portrait on the Borderline

Vocabulary flashcards covering Frida Kahlo, her life, and the themes, symbolism, and context of her artworks The Two Fridas (1939) and Self-Portrait on the Borderline (1932).

Frida Kahlo

Mexican painter (born 1907 in Mexico City) known for autobiographical, symbolic works; life included marriage to Diego Rivera, a 1939 divorce, and health problems from polio and a severe bus accident.

The Two Fridas (1939)

Frida Kahlo’s double self-portrait showing two connected selves—one traditional Mexican and one European-influenced—with blood vessels linking their hearts, symbolizing dual identity and emotional pain.

Dual identity

The coexistence or tension between two cultural identities, as seen in Kahlo’s traditional Mexican self and European-influenced self.

Blood vessels connecting two hearts

A motif in The Two Fridas symbolizing emotional pain and loneliness.

Self-portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States (1932)

Oil painting where Kahlo stands on the border in cultural dress, holding a Mexican flag and a cigarette, signaling internal conflict between two lives; backdrop features temple/artifacts vs. factory/smoke.

Mexican flag

Symbol of Mexican identity depicted in the border portrait.

Factory and smoke

Industrial imagery on the U.S. side of the border portrait, representing modernization and industrialization.

Homesickness

Feeling of longing for one's homeland; Mexico’s side in the border painting represents this sentiment.

Oil painting

A painting medium using oil-based pigments; used for Kahlo’s works.

Postmodern frame of industrialization

A lens for interpreting art within the context of industrial development and modern life.

Juxtaposition

Placing contrasting elements side by side to highlight differences (as seen in the border portrait’s temple/artifacts vs. factory).

Structural symbolism

Use of structural elements to convey deeper cultural or personal meanings, such as interconnected hearts or border motifs in Kahlo’s art.