Frida Kahlo: An Illustrated Life

This sensitive blend of biography and fantasy takes tragedy as the baseline for Kahlo’s history, staying true to her belief that “life insists on being my friend and destiny my enemy.” Written as if from the Mexican artist’s point of view, the picture book–like pages trace her path from overcoming childhood spina bifida to her death, occurring not long after the amputation of her leg from gangrene; covering the horrific formative bus collision that left her in constant pain; her infatuation with and disappointments in famed muralist Diego Rivera; and the “agonized poetry” of her sui generis paintings. Hesse remakes the artist’s iconic features into a childlike avatar, an unusual choice that gives the work both an animated quality and fairy-tale sensibility. In a mixture of roman font and handwriting script, the narration draws from Kahlo’s diaries and letters, while embracing all the ways that “Frida embellished her stories, Frida invented, Frida told the truth, Frida contradicted herself.” Hesse’s minimalist interpretations emphasize the symbolism of Kahlo’s signature style and color sense, and her work’s dreamlike quality, referencing traditional religious votive paintings. Despite the often light mood of the artwork, the book never shies from weighty consideration of the physical pain and personal loss that gave way—in fleeting but significant moments—to Kahlo’s artistic triumph. [em](Sept.) [/em]