�Her image is iconic. Her artwork touches the heart and soul. Her story is tragic yet triumphant. Even though she died over 60 years ago, Frida Kahlo has become a major figure in my life, and I feel the need to share why.

1. Her Tragic Life.

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Through Frida's entire life, she was no stranger to pain. When she was a child, she contracted polio, and forever walked with a limp in her leg. While in school, she was a part of a terrible bus accident in which she was impaled by a metal rod and her spine and pelvis were shattered, along with any hopes of her ever having a baby. For the rest of her life she was constantly in pain, but thankfully she found a way to channel that pain through her art.

2. Her �Amazing Artwork.

When I first saw her artwork in Spanish class last year, I was immediately taken back by the juxtaposing frailty and strength of her paintings, mostly self portraits. Whereas many artists find muse in external topics like politics and war, she was able to take her one image and pain as inspiration. One of my favorite things about her is that she didn't use painting to simply distract her from the pain; painting was her way of confronting and coping with it. I also love how she can portray such dark subjects such as divorce, disasters (such as the bus accident and her many miscarriages), and death in such beautiful, artistically transcendent ways. When I look at her paintings, I can feel what she felt. For me, that experience is what makes a truly talented artist.

3. Her Many Loves.

Despite her pain, Frida was full of love and life, and she shared that with everyone around her. In her day, she had many romantic relationships with people, both men and women, the most famous of which being Diego Rivera. Both being artists, Frida and Diego started out strictly as colleagues, but soon nature took its course, so they fell in love and got married within a year. However, their marriage was stormy at best. Diego, infamous for his womanizing tendencies, had numerous affairs, most notably with Frida’s own sister, Cristina. The pair soon got divorced and then later remarried. Throughout it all, Frida had many flings, even with the Russian communist figure, Leon Trotsky.

4. Her Individuality.

Frida was a woman decades ahead of her time, questioning gender roles and identity at a time where those weren’t even topics for discussion. She even showed up for her family photo dressed in a men’s suit! Her fashion, which was an eye-catching blend of European and traditional Mexican styles, put her on the cover of Vogue Magazine. I would also like to express that she rocked the flower crown long before Coachella was a thing, so step aside Lana Del Rey. Even more astounding, she somehow wielded a full-on “unibrow,” yet she still looked absolutely stunning.

5. Her Legacy.

To this day, Frida is widely considered the best artist Mexico has ever seen. Her paintings are still honored at prestigious museums all throughout the world. I actually had the pleasure of seeing one of her portraits while I was in New York City earlier this year. The majority of her works rest in the very house Frida was born and died in. La Casa Azul, or The Blue House, serves as a museum for Frida and her paintings. Frida is still commonly referenced in pop culture, and there was even an Academy Award winning film called “Frida” made about her life, which is eternally in my “recently watched” section on Netflix. It’s a wonderful movie, and Salma Hayek does an outstanding job in her portrayal of the timeless artist.

Maybe now it is a little easier to understand why Frida means so much to me. Hopefully I have inspired you to check out some of her artwork or even read up on her life. Frida has changed my life, and she might just do the same for you.