Frida Kahlo - Art Analysis

An Analysis of “The Little Deer”

http://www.frida-kahlo-foundation.org/The-Little-Deer.html

Gemma D.

I chose to analyze a painting done by Fridah Kahlo in 1946. She titled it “The Little Deer” (Kahlo). It depicts a deer jumping through a forest. The deer has the distinctive human face that Kahlo uses in many of her self-portraits. In addition, there are several arrows sticking out of the deer’s back, which are bleeding. We can see through the trees in the background to the ocean, where though it appears to be a bright day, there is a lightning storm. The tone at first glance seems hopeful as the deer leaps, but on second observation we see the arrows and lightening, and tone becomes more serious, and we worry if the deer will be able to complete her leap. I chose to analyze this piece because it reflects the struggles of women, especially those of a certain class, and really stuck out to me as a piece that deserves some deeper thought.

                  Though we did not discuss this piece in class, I still noticed issues of female struggle and oppression, which is one of the main reasons I would consider this a feminist piece. I believe by putting a female face as the head of the deer, Kahlo is trying to speak to women, especially women of her class and background, and I think this intended message is what makes the art feminist art. Also, the way Kahlo uses her own experience and struggles as a woman to fuel her art, adds to the pieces beauty, and also reinforces this feminist ideal. As Joanna Frueh suggests in her essay, “Feminist artists affirmed…the authenticity of their own experiences that informed their art” (Frueh, 190). Through this, Frueh is trying to describe the way with which feminist artists weave their own struggles into their art, as Kahlo did with this painting.

 I also saw the issue of gender oppression in the deer’s stance. She is trying to leap freely and move about the forest as she pleases, but she has been shot many times, in an effort to hold her back from being free. However, I believe Kahlo is sending a message to women with the deer’s posture. Because although the deer has several wounds, she does not seem injured and is still mid jump, indicating that no amount of pain or oppression can hold her back from acting freely. I think that by putting her own face as the deer’s, Kahlo is trying to represent the issues of women of her own class and background and how she personally feels oppressed  by the arrows of society, but that she will not let these issues drag her down or hold her back.

                  During the time that Kahlo was painting this piece World War II had ended recently and in December Mexico was to elect a new president. She had just remarried her husband Diego Rivera despite numerous affairs. In addition, her health was deteriorating quickly, and she underwent many surgeries on her spine and foot (Lucie-Smith). During this time Kahlo must have felt trapped in a loveless marriage and a broken body. This deer with her face seems to represent her longing to run free with no constraints, but the arrows are the burdens of life that are keeping her down. This piece is similar to many of Kahlo’s other works in that it has her distinct, serious face which adorns her self portraits, as well as many of her other pieces. In addition, much of her artwork seems to depict serious scenes of women in pain or suffering. This distinctive style and message of female suffering spread through many pieces is similar to some of the graffiti artists we studied in class. Both Kahlo and artists like Lady Pink have a distinctive personal message that spreads across many different works of art.  As Adrienne Rich said in her letter to Jane Alexander, chair of the National Endowment for the arts, “I believe in art’s social presence – as breaker of official silences, as voice for those whose voices are disregarded, and as a human birthright” (Rich, 99). As we discussed in class, many times women in the media are portrayed as silent or voiceless, but as Rich says, many artists such as Kahlo and Lady Pink reverse this by breaking the silence and bringing to light issues that affect women.

                  I see Kahlo’s depiction of yearning to run free reflected in several of the readings from class, most notably Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi. This graphic novel depicts Marjane growing up a girl amongst a somewhat oppressive and politically volatile Iran. As Marjane attempts to be a carefree girl growing up and experimenting with clothes and music, she is constantly restricted and warned against acting like a free woman. This reminded me of Kahlo’s leaping deer, as it is desperately trying to act freely despite the arrows in its back.

                  My response to this piece was initially sadness and anger, but the more I study it, the more hope I gain. At first, I fixated on the arrows and blood, and the sober expression Kahlo has as the deer’s face. This worried and angered me, as the deer just seems to want to leap, but the arrows are obviously holding it back. However, when I look at this piece longer, I see that the deer is not stumbling or bending from the arrows, but is still leaping a perfect arc through the forest. This makes me feel that the piece might be more of a rebellion, as if Kahlo is defying whatever depression or physical pain she is feeling, and forces herself to act freely despite her husband or anything else that might try to hold her back. I have much hope for this deer, and from Kahlo’s serious face she painted on it, I have no doubt the deer will focus and complete its leap, despite whatever issues it may carry on its back.


WORKS CITED:
Frueh, Joanna. “The Body Through Women’s Eyes” in The Power of Feminist Art, p.190-207.

Kahlo, Frida. The Little Deer. 1946. Frida Kahlo: The Complete Works. Web. 14 May 2012. <http://www.frida-kahlo-foundation.org/The-Little-Deer.html>.

Lucie-Smith, Edward. "Lives of the Great 20th-Century Artists." Artchive. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2012. <http://www.artchive.com/artchive/K/kahlo.html>. 

Rich, Adrienne. “Why I Refused the National Medal for the Arts” in Arts of the Possible: Essays in Conversation, p. 98-103.