Seungyong Chang: Mexico

"The Two Fridas" is an oil painting by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, considered Kahlo's first large-scale work and one of her most notable paintings. The painting is a double self-portrait of two versions of Kahlo sitting together, one wearing a white European-style Victorian dress while the other wearing a traditional Tehuana dress.

Frida Kahlo

Kahlo painted the painting in 1939, the same year she divorced artist Diego Rivera, although they remarried a year later. According to Kahlo's friend, Fernando Gamboa, the painting was inspired by two paintings that Kahlo saw at the Louvre earlier that year: "The Two Sisters" by Théodore Chassériau and "Gabrielle d'Estrées and One of Her Sisters" by the anonymous painter.

The Two Sisters, Théodore Chassériau
(1843)

Gabrielle d'Estrées et une de ses soeurs, unknown artist
(c. 1594)

In the painting, the Frida in Mexican costume is holding a small portrait of Diego Rivera and the Frida in European costume is holding forceps. Blood spills onto her white dress from a blood vessel that has been cut by the forceps, and it seems to indicate the tragic motor accident that left her with many of her surgeries and long bedridden throughout her life.

The blood vessel connects the two Fridas as it runs through the European Frida’s hands and connects to her heart and again connects to Mexican Frida's heart. Both Fridas show an open heart, but Mexican Frida's heart looks healthy, while European Frida's heart appears to be amputated and ill.

Together with the constant pain that Frida is going through, the painting suggests two separate personalities, the strong Frida and the weak Frida. However, despite these differences, the blood vessel connecting the two Fridas suggests that although the two Fridas have separate personalities, they must be combined together to become perfect Frida.

The painting was exhibited along with “The Wounded Table” by Kahlo at the International Surrealist Exhibition in Mexico City in January 1940.

The Wounded Table, Frida Kahlo (1940)

It was owned by Kahlo until it was taken over by the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (INBA) in 1947, which transferred it to the Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico City, where is currently housed, on December 28, 1966.

Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City

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Thursday, August 26, 2021

The Stories about Music Films: 50. Selena (1997)

Basic Info

Title: Selena

Genre: Biography, Drama, Music

Country: United States

Language: English, Spanish

Running time: 127 minutes

Release date: March 21, 1997

Staff

Director: Gregory Nava

Producer: Abraham Quintanilla Jr., Moctesuma Esparza, Robert Katz

Screenplay by: Gregory Nava

Music: Dave Grusin

Cinematography: Edward Lachman

Edited by: Nancy Richardson

Cast

Jennifer Lopez as Selena

Edward James Olmos as Abraham Quintanilla

Jon Seda as Chris Pérez

Constance Marie as Marcela Quintanilla

Summary

"Selena" is a 1997 American biographical musical drama film written and directed by Gregory Nava. The film tells the story about the life and career of Tejano music star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez before she was murdered by Yolanda Saldívar at the age of 23.

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, born on April 16, 1971 and died on March 31, 1995, was an American singer, songwriter, spokesperson, businesswoman, model, actress and fashion designer. Referred to as the “Queen of Tejano Music,” she became one of the most famous Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century for her contributions to music and fashion. She is also recognized as one of the most influential Latin artists of all time, who brought the Tejano music genre into the mainstream market.

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez

She was shot and killed on March 31, 1995 by Yolanda Saldívar, her friend and the former manager of her Selena Etc. boutiques. She has sold about 30 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling female artists in Latin music.

Yolanda Saldívar

The film, starring Jennifer Lopez as Selena, was released in the United States on March 21, 1997, and received positive reviews upon release.

Movie Review

“What a lovely biopic”

“Great movie and so so sad”

“A Moving Tribute”

“Outstanding”

“I didn't expect to like it so much!”

“Good Movie, Great Music”

“The movie was very interesting!”

“You're not human if you don't shed tears for her”

“10 out of 10 movie”

“Excellent Movie”

“Lovely”

“Alive and Astounding!”

“Very Moving”

Interesting stories about the film

1. To prepare for her role, Jennifer Lopez lived with Selena Quintanilla-Perez's family.

Jennifer Lopez

2. Constance Marie, who played Selena's mother in this film, originally auditioned for the role of Selena.

Constance Marie

3. At the end of the film, when archive footage of Selena is shown, there are scenes that her fans are mourning her and holding her real pictures.

4. Salma Hayek was considered for the role of Selena, but she turned it down because she wanted to play the role of Frida Khalo in “Frida” and she didn't want to play another Mexican heroine.