Colorful Storytelling Truths From Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo was an artist whose storytelling transcended both her chosen medium and her lifetime. Kahlo’s full name was Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón, and she was a Mexican painter born in 1907. Her work was part of the genre of Magical Realism and often explored politics and identity, which is especially memorable in her colorful self-portraits. A serious bus accident left her in lifelong chronic pain, which she often incorporated into her art. What storytelling truths can we learn from the life and work of Frida Kahlo?

Don’t be afraid of color.

One of the reasons Kahlo’s work is so memorable is because of her distinctive use of color. She uses color in surprising ways to tell an emotional story, whether it is juxtaposing soft pastels with painful subjects or combining colors that are not usually seen together to tell a complex story. She often incorporated vibrant flowers into her self portraits, saying, "I paint flowers so they will not die." Like the flowers she painted, her stories live on at least partially because of her bold choices with color. Consider how your color choices can tell a more nuanced story, too.

Your difficult stories resonate.

Kahlo experienced a lot of tragedy in her life, particularly surrounding her physical health. Where some might shy away from telling those stories, she let it inform all of her work and leaned into the sadness of it all. She said, "I don't paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality.” Because she was brave enough to paint her actual reality, her work resonated deeply with people and still does. Vulnerability in storytelling is often what makes it complex and interesting to your audience.

Frida Kahlo’s deeply painful and creative life has storytelling wisdom for us all, from her bold use of color to her ability to share difficult stories. Storytellers everywhere can learn from her indefatigable desire to create and tell stories, no matter what. As Frida said, "I am broken. But I am happy to be alive as long as I can paint."

Read more on Forbes:?Colorful Storytelling Truths From Frida Kahlo

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