This is specially for the back of your neck
The Letters of Frida Kahlo
Friday marked 70 years since the death of Frida Kahlo, an iconic artist whose life was anything but ordinary. A childhood plagued by polio was cruelly followed by a horrific bus accident at 18—and yet, despite the numerous surgeries and health problems that peppered the remainder of her life, she managed to create works of art that would leave a vivid mark on the world. It wasn’t until April 1953, at the age of 47, that her first major exhibition took place in Mexico City. Advised by her doctors not to attend, Kahlo defiantly arranged for her hospital bed to be wheeled into the gallery; for hours that evening, she greeted visitors and held the room. Less than a year later, to the dismay of all, she was dead.
Her letters can be found in a number of books, many of which are named beneath these excerpts. I’ve arranged them chronologically.
Today I was expelled from the maths class because Mr Palafox said that I was too much of a trouble-maker, and although they may tell you things about me, they are not true; that old man is very mean and it is true that I am a trouble-maker, but not to the extent that I need to be expelled from class. Toledano will send you a letter at noon with my father, but do not pay attention to anything he tells you, because they are a bunch of lies.
Frida Kahlo, aged 16
Letter to her mother
15th September 1923
—You are Always With Me: Letters to Mama, edited by Héctor Jaimes
At midnight I thought of you, my Alex; did you think of me? I think you did, too, because my left ear made a sound. Well, as you know, ‘New year, new life.’ This year, your little woman won’t be a 7-peso sugared almond, but the sweetest and best one ever known, so you can eat all of it.
Frida Kahlo
Letter to Alejandro Arias Gomez
1st January 1925
—The Letters of Frida Kahlo: Cartas Apasionadas, compiled by Martha Zamora
I don’t like gringos that much; they are very dull people and they all have faces that look like uncooked bread.
Frida Kahlo
Letter to Isabel Campos
3rd May 1931
—Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera, by Gerry Souter
When you are sick you can’t trust strangers, so I prefer to set up things myself and to do everything by myself, as there is no recourse. And it’s not that Diego doesn’t care, but, in the first place, in these cases men are really useless, and in the second place, they are not aware of what is happening to women, don’t you think? They think everything is ‘nothing’ as long as there is nothing happening to them, but if it were happening, the world would crumble.
Frida Kahlo
Letter to her mother
14th January 1932
—You are Always With Me: Letters to Mama, edited by Héctor Jaimes
My nick, you’re the sweetest person I’ve ever met. But listen, my love, I really don’t need the money now. I still have a little bit from Mexico; plus I’m a very rich bitch, did you know that? I have enough to stay one more month. I already have my return ticket. Everything is under control; it’s true, my love, it’s not fair that you spend extra money… In any event, you don’t know how thankful I am for your willingness to help me. I don’t have the words to describe how happy I am, knowing that you tried to make me happy and that you are so good and adorable… My lover, my heaven, my Nick, my life, my child, I adore you.
Frida Kahlo
Letter to Nickolas Muray
27th February 1939
—I Will Never Forget You: Frida Kahlo and Nickolas Muray, by Salomon Grimberg
Frankly, I don’t have the least ambition to be anybody. I don’t care for people’s pretentiousness, and I am in no way interested in becoming a “big shit.”
Frida Kahlo
Letter to Dr. Leo Eloesser
15th March 1941
—Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera, by Gerry Souter
Can verbs be invented? I want to say one to you: I sky you, so my wings stretch out enormously to love you without measure. I feel that we have been together from our place of origin, that we are of the same matter, of the same waves, that we carry the same sense inside. Your whole being, your prodigious genius and humility are incomparable and enrich life; in your extraordinary world, what I offer you is only one truth more that you receive and that will ever caress the deepest part of you.
Thank you for receiving it, thank you for living, because yesterday you let me touch your innermost light, and because you said with your voice and your eyes what I had been waiting for all my life.
Frida Kahlo
Letter to Carlos Pellicer
November 1947
—Frida by Frida: Selection of Letters and Texts, edited by Raquel Tibol
Last night I felt as if many wings caressed me all over, as if your finger tips had mouths that kissed my skin. The atoms of my body are yours and they vibrate together so that we love each other. I want to live and be strong in order to love you with all the tenderness that you deserve, to give you everything that is good in me, so that you will not feel alone.
Frida Kahlo
Letter to Josep Bartolí
1948
With friendship and affection straight from the heart, I have the pleasure to invite you to my humble exhibition.
At eight at night—since you have a watch, after all—I’ll wait for you at the Gallery of Lola Álvarez Bravo.
It is in Amberes number twelve; with doors on the street so you won’t get lost, because that wouldn’t be nice.
I just want you to give me your sincere and good opinion; you are well-read and written, you have a first-class knowledge.
These painted squares I painted with my own hands are waiting on the walls to be liked by my brothers.
Well, my dear buddy, with true friendship, I am deeply thankful to you.
Frida Kahlo
Invitation to her first major exhibition
April 1953
—The Letters of Frida Kahlo: Cartas Apasionadas, compiled by Martha Zamora
I’m writing to let you know I’m releasing you, I’m amputating you. Be happy and never seek me again. I don’t want to hear from you, I don’t want you to hear from me. If there is anything I’d enjoy before I die, it’d be not having to see your fucking horrible bastard face wandering around my garden.
That is all, I can now go to be chopped up in peace. Good bye from somebody who is crazy and vehemently in love with you.
Frida Kahlo (in hospital, awaiting a leg amputation)
Letter to Diego Rivera1
August 1953
—Letters of Note: Love, compiled by Shaun Usher
All of Frida Kahlo’s writings: © 2019 Banco de México Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo Museums Trust. Av. 5 de Mayo No. 2, col. Centro, alc. Cuauhtémoc, c.p. 06000, Mexico City.
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She is very touching.
Truly wonderful. Thank you for sharing these.