Why was she so legendary? Most the art I’ve seen by her is just ok, nothing epic.
Art is highly subjective - modern artists who become famous typically do so because of novel approaches to their material rather than raw technical proficiency. Frida Kahlo was pioneering in her usage of folk culture and surrealism, combined with a (if you will pardon the fact that 90% of my comparisons go back to my obsession with Rome) verism-like dedication to detail, while (in a very un-Verism like manner) hewing to a distinctly stylized form.
So, she impressed other artists? I’m guessing it’s like when I see videos of a musician talking about how awesome a song is, then listen to it & think it’s just ok, only to find out that they think song is awesome because it’s performed in an obscure time signature or something.
Bit more of a pioneering thing. The “Seinfeld is unfunny” sort of thing, where something is so groundbreaking that it just gets widely adopted going forward and then isn’t always seen in a pioneering light by casual observers. We live in a blessed time for artistic styles, in that incredible amounts of human history and creativity are at our fingertips to experiment with, combine, refine, and distort. We owe that rich artistic heritage we enjoy to innovators like Frida Kahlo. (edit: swapped the last letters initially lmao)
Music a lot of people think is just OK or completely hate, while musicians/critics will think have changed the world:
The pixies. (Loud quiet loud)
Nirvana. (Loud quiet loud but Leadbelly)
Radiohead. (11/6,12/7,13/8, what’s a martenot?)
Art is highly subjective - modern artists who become famous typically do so because of novel approaches to their material rather than raw technical proficiency. Frida Kahlo was pioneering in her usage of folk culture and surrealism, combined with a (if you will pardon the fact that 90% of my comparisons go back to my obsession with Rome) verism-like dedication to detail, while (in a very un-Verism like manner) hewing to a distinctly stylized form.
So, she impressed other artists? I’m guessing it’s like when I see videos of a musician talking about how awesome a song is, then listen to it & think it’s just ok, only to find out that they think song is awesome because it’s performed in an obscure time signature or something.
Anyway, sounds good, I’ll remember that now.
Bit more of a pioneering thing. The “Seinfeld is unfunny” sort of thing, where something is so groundbreaking that it just gets widely adopted going forward and then isn’t always seen in a pioneering light by casual observers. We live in a blessed time for artistic styles, in that incredible amounts of human history and creativity are at our fingertips to experiment with, combine, refine, and distort. We owe that rich artistic heritage we enjoy to innovators like Frida Kahlo. (edit: swapped the last letters initially lmao)
*Frito Kamala
Yes, being appreciated by people who actually know what they’re talking about is usially a good thing.
Music a lot of people think is just OK or completely hate, while musicians/critics will think have changed the world: The pixies. (Loud quiet loud) Nirvana. (Loud quiet loud but Leadbelly) Radiohead. (11/6,12/7,13/8, what’s a martenot?)