Fortunately,
we did not have to wait in line to visit Frida Kahlo’s house, known as Casa Azul. When we emerged 2 hours later, the queue
stretched down the street. Frida Kahlo,
1907-1947, had a tempestuous life, punctuated by much pain and passion. She developed polio as a child and at 18
years she spent a year in bed after a bus accident. She started painting as she lay in bed
recovering from fractures to her spine, collarbone and ribs, a shattered
pelvis, and shoulder and foot injuries. At 22 she married the famous Mexican
muralist Diego Rivera, 20 years her senior. Their stormy, passionate
relationship survived infidelities, the pressures of careers, divorce,
remarriage, Frida's bi-sexual affairs, her poor health and her inability to
have children.
 |
| Frida's daytime bedroom with overhead mirror and death mask on bed |
 |
| Garden near entrance to Casa Azul | | | | | | |
|
|
 |
| Henry Ford Hospital 1932, painted after a miscarriage |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vogue sponsored an
exhibition 'Appearances Can Be Deceiving'
including 300 items of clothing that have been locked away in cupboards and
drawers for 58 years, since her death in 1954.
 |
| One of many corsets to support her spine |
 |
| Underwear |
Frida displayed all her pain and physical
aspects in her paintings. Note the
thinner right leg from polio in the left hand frame.
 |
Coffee at Frida's house. Note the layered capuccino with cinnamon on top
|
A few
blocks away we visited Museo Casa de Trotsky 1939-40 which was interesting in
its own right but also because he lived with Frida and Diego at Casa Azul
before moving to his own house. It was rumoured
that Frida and Trotsky had an affair.
Trotsky was assassinated at his house despite installing steel doors to
his bedroom and raising the external walls.
 |
| Looking to guardhouse on left, house on right |
 |
| Trotsky enjoyed gardening and keeping rabbits |
 |
| Office |
Using the
Metro, we went to Museo de Arte Popular in the afternoon. It is devoted to folk art, much of it
whimsical or concerned with festivals, such as skeletons related to the Day of
the Dead, or Judas effigies burnt at Easter.
The exhibits were very interesting and often amusing. There was a large souvenir shop with highly
priced goods.
 |
| Devils |
 |
| Many miniatures, including these skeleton settings |
 |
| Coyote |
 |
| Chameleon |
 |
| Zoom in on the fantastic creatures |
Originally
a Jesuit school in the late 16th century, Antiguo Colegio de San
Ildefonso became a preparatory school
for the university and in the 1920s the government sponsored murals with
historical or political themes, by Orozco, Rivera and others. Today it is a university
museum near Templo Mayor, housing much contemporary art work.
