Her sketchbook at once defines her and her work but also blasts our notions of what art is and how it should be displayed – who says that art is made only for public consumption? The text accompanying her drawings are totally unlinked at times to her images, often just long lists of associations, amusingly reminding me of the writings of James Joyce, only this time “a la” the artiste, somehow still landing a message home. She never really translated any of her sketches into final works of art (there was only 1), neither did she particularly capture the everyday in them either. Kahlo, however, challenges this view point. Our sketchbooks are often the sources of our masterpieces, our messy mistakes, the first point of contact and the seed of a good idea that is captured even if our final public masterpieces, by the time we paint them, may not. I love flicking through its pages because it almost answers the question I always ask “why do we keep sketchbooks?” Perhaps we are more genuine in them, and in so being we produce the ideas that can drive our most creative masterpieces. It is clear that it is a record never intended to be viewed by others. There is no better place to see the evolution of this extraordinary woman than through the pages of her journal. Early on in her career she was described as a surrealist artist. There is no better window into Frida Kahlo’s artwork than her diary, an intimate self portrait, a place of deeply private expression where the fusion of words and sketches show us the perfect example of keeping a private record that is written by a woman by herself and for herself. It has been a passion of mine to source them and add a whole level of meaning to my understanding of an artists’ work via their often hidden sketch diaries. Most of our famous contemporary 20th century artists kept sketchbooks. …I have always been fascinated by the sketchbooks of well known artists. I’m fascinated by the fusion of both journalling and drawing. My sketchbook journey really began by keeping a written journal. What a fascinating woman Frida Kahlo was!
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