Born at a time when therapy was more a phenomenon of the future than the present Frida Khalo, like many before and after used the canvas as her main method of healing.
One of the greatest gifts found in Kahlo's work is her demonstration of the transformative power of art and creativity as therapy. Throughout her life, Kahlo grappled with physical pain, emotional turmoil, and the complexities of her relationships. Her art, an intimate exploration of her innermost thoughts and experiences, served as a cathartic outlet—a visual diary of pain, passion, and resilience.
Tree of Hope, 1946
Kahlo's tumultuous life, marked by a near-fatal bus accident that left her with lifelong injuries, multiple surgeries, and a turbulent marriage to Diego Rivera, became the raw material for her artistic expression. The canvas became a mirror reflecting her pain, and the brush became a conduit for the emotions that coursed through her veins.
One of the most powerful aspects of Kahlo's art as therapy was her honesty. She didn't shy away from portraying her physical and emotional scars. Instead, she embraced them, turning wounds into works of art. In her self-portraits, she laid bare her vulnerabilities, transforming pain into a source of strength. Her art became a means of self-exploration and acceptance—a testament to the healing potential of confronting and embracing one's own painful truths.
Not only does the act of expressing ones pains help the mind process them on a conceptual level but the physical act of painting, moving the brush or pen back and forth across the canvas, can cause bilateral stimulation within the brain, the main tool used in EMDR therapy to process trauma. Through the intentional use of bilateral stimulation, artists today can navigate the complexities of their emotional landscapes, fostering healing and resilience within the strokes of their creations.
Kahlo's use of symbolism further illustrates the therapeutic nature of her art. Animals, plants, and everyday objects in her paintings carried layers of personal significance. For example, the iconic use of thorns and flowers in her work symbolized the duality of pain and beauty. Deers, represented vulnerability and innocence, butterflies figures of transformation, metamorphosis, and the fleeting nature of life. By externalising her internal struggles, Kahlo transformed abstract emotions into tangible and relatable images, making her art a bridge for connection and understanding. We can use her example as inspiration to ask ourselves, what symbols in the world around us can we use as our own motifs of personal power.
Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird, was painted by Frida Kahlo in 1940.
Kahlo's distinctive fashion was also a profound tool of her self-reclamation. Despite the ways in which her body failed her she was able to use fashion as a way to turn her body into a canvas. At a time when she faced immense physical and emotional challenges, her deliberate choice of clothing became a means of reclaiming agency and shaping her narrative. The Tehuana dresses, associated with the matriarchal society of Tehuantepec, symbolized strength and resilience, providing Kahlo with a visual language to communicate her own power.
Beyond personal healing, Kahlo's fashion was also a form of activism against societal norms and the rise in popularity of American culture which was seeping its way into her beloved Mexico. In deliberately rejecting Eurocentric beauty ideals, she challenged the notion of conventional femininity, embracing her unibrow and distinctive facial hair as statements of defiance. Adorning herself with bold indigenous jewelry, Kahlo celebrated her cultural heritage and used her appearance as a powerful political statement and a way to reconnect with her ancestors, a practice that can strengthen our sense of belonging and meaning in the world.
Frida Kahlo dressed in a traditional Tehuana dress, 1940
In a world where mental health issues are now being taken more seriously, her approach to using art as a therapeutic tool can be used as inspiration and adopted as a method of self-healing. The act of creating—whether through painting, drawing, writing, or choosing what to wear —can be a powerful means of processing emotions, reclaiming ones sovereignty, gaining insights into the shadow realms, and fostering self-compassion.
Art allows individuals to externalize their internal worlds, providing a tangible and often cathartic outlet for complex emotions. Just as Kahlo turned her pain into powerful visual narratives, we can personally use our art as a way to explore and articulate our own experiences.
Engaging in art as if it were therapy can take many forms. It might involve keeping a visual journal, expressing emotions through painting, creating symbolic pieces of jewelry, or using poetry as a way to pour your pain onto paper.
Kahlo's journey teaches us that art is not solely a product to be admired but a process to be experienced. Her canvases are invitations to confront, explore, and ultimately transcend pain. In a world that often rushes past introspection, Kahlo's example encourages us to slow down, pick up a brush or pencil, and use art as a transformative tool. Whether facing physical challenges, emotional struggles, or the complexities of life, the canvas, whatever that may be, becomes a space where individuals can find solace, express their truths, and discover the profound healing potential within the act of creation.
-----------------------------------
Brogan Deanne is an English poet who resides on a tropical island in Thailand. She prefers to live both barefoot and bare souled where the ocean meets the jungle. She is co-founder of Nude Studio and believes that authentic communication and creativity hold the power to heal us individually and raise our collective consciousness.
Commentaires