The Art Angle Podcast: How Frida Kahlo Can Change Your Life (for Better or Worse)

Artnet News October 22, 2020 ShareShare This Article

Welcome to the Art Angle, a podcast from Artnet News that delves into the places where the art world meets the real world, bringing each week’s biggest story down to earth. Join host Andrew Goldstein every week for an in-depth look at what matters most in museums, the art market, and much more with input from our own writers and editors as well as artists, curators, and other top experts in the field.

Frida Kahlo is, by every metric, one of the most famous artists in the world. Recently the priciest Latinx painter at auction, she has also been the subject of solo shows at prestigious institutions around the world, and she continues to be a pop-culture sensation whose image and iconography grace everything from apparel, to dolls, to smartphone selfie filters (and much more).

Frida’s success as an artist came amid a tumultuous life that has since proven irresistible to Hollywood. After a 1925 bus accident that left her bedridden for months, the 18-year-old Kahlo turned to painting to channel her immense energy, forging a distinct style of vulnerability, rawness, heartache, and beauty. As her career took shape, Kahlo’s personal life was marked by a fiery marriage to the famous muralist (and serial philanderer) Diego Rivera. She also took a series of public positions and private actions that blatantly challenged expectations for women in the early 20th century, eventually leading to her ascension as a rallying symbol for feminism and Mexican-American rights.

Though Kahlo died in 1954 at the young age of 47, her life continues to inspire people around the globe today. One person particularly enamored with her story is Arianna Davis, a journalist and digital director of O, the Oprah Winfrey Magazine. Davis recently published her first book, What Would Frida Do?: A Guide to Living Boldly, which channels Kahlo’s legacy through a self-help lens to guide readers toward unapologetic pursuit of their desires. On this week’s episode, Davis joins the podcast to discuss her book, its lessons, and the artist at the foundation of both.

Listen above and subscribe to the Art Angle on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, or wherever you get your podcasts. (Or catch up on past episodes here on Artnet News.)