Fall 2017 Travel: Isaac Gorres

     

 "I traveled to Washington, DC in order to view the painting Self-Portrait Dedicated to

Leon Trotsky at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Frida Kahlo painted this work in 1937 as a birthday present to the Soviet politician with whom she was also briefly romantically involved. The experience will be invaluable to me as I complete my research paper on the conflicting cultural theologies present in Kahlo’s paintings for my Queens, Mistresses, Prostitute class with Dr. Libby.

      Viewing this painting in person was a very empowering experience. Kahlo’s life was full

of pain, and many of her paintings highlight this (The Broken Column, The Wounded Deer, The Two Fridas, etc.). Self-Portrait Dedicated to Leon Trotsky, however, portrays Kahlo firmly standing in the center of a stage-like scene. Her posture is reminiscent of the posture of the Virgin of Guadalupe—the Mexican incarnation of the Virgin Mary. She is holding a dedication to Leon Trotsky in her hands—“Con todo cariño,” it reads. This translates to, “With all my love.” When Kahlo painted this work, she was still married to Diego Rivera, albeit in a shaky relationship. Thus, Self-Portrait Dedicated to Leon Trotsky represents Kahlo asserting her sexual dominance over her own marriage.

      With Frida Kahlo, it is especially important to see her works in person, as many times

their physical size will influence the way that one interprets them. Kahlo’s paintings are usually considerably small, contrasting Diego Rivera’s—her husband’s—expansive murals.      Also, it was important for me to see this specific piece in person because details on the original frame of the painting resemble the framing of traditional Mexican retablos of the Virgin of Guadalupe. It is very difficult to find pictures of the frame online, and I took very extensive notes on the painting

and high-quality pictures.

      While I was in DC, I also visited the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the

National Gallery of Art, the Renwick Gallery, the Phillips Collection, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, and the National Portrait Gallery. Thus, the Mead Art Scholarship allowed me to travel to DC to view a painting that is extremely relevant to my research paper and visit the other world-class museums in DC and the DC area. I would not have been able to do any of this without the help of the Mead Art Scholarship, and I would like to extend a warm thank you to the donors for allowing me to partake in this truly life-changing experience."