Frida Kahlo, Mexico’s most famous woman artist best known for her numerous self-portraits, is portrayed once more as hyperrealist Kazuhiro Tsuji’s latest subject. Tsuji, featured here on our blog and in Hi-Fructose Vol. 35, has become well known for his larger than life portraits of celebrities, artists, presidents and other popular figures. Rendered with a heightened realism, Tsuji’s Frida is made of resin, platinum silicone, and other materials by the same technique that he once practiced as a special effects makeup artist. Frida’s self-portraits often expressed the emotional effects of pain, loss and tragedy in her life. She died suddenly in summer of 1954, soon after turning 47, and her work was not widely acclaimed until decades after. Tsuji’s incarnation of her is not the tragic one that we have come to know- she feels more bright and uplifted as two gigantic golden arms gently raise her up. At his Facebook, where he posted these photos, Tsuji commented “Viva la Vida”, meaning “long live life”. She will be on display by Copro Gallery at the Scope Miami Beach fair this week from December 1st through 6th.
