Frida in Film

In 2005 the Tate Modern in London presented the film series Angel of Fire: Frida Kahlo Film Programme.

"The Frida Kahlo film programme celebrates Mexico’s rich cinematic history. The series draws on a broad range of documentary and feature films that illuminate Kahlo’s involvement in Mexico’s cultural and political landscape and examines her complex personal relationships. Free programmes of documentaries about Kahlo are held on Sunday afternoons throughout the exhibition's run."

Films shown included:

A Woman in Love (Enamorada)
The Life and Death of Frida Kahlo
¡Que Viva Mexico!
The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo
The Iron Fist (El Puño de Hierro)
Frida Kahlo and Tina Modotti
Aventurera
Macario
Reed: Insurgent Mexico
Frida, Naturaleza Viva
Angel of Fire (Angel de Fuego)
Perfume de Violetas (Violet Perfume)
Nazarín

I visited the Tate's Frida Kahlo exhibition, at which these films were presented, having recently been to Mexico City. I was there at the invitation of Museo Dolores Olmedo to officially witness the removal and crating of her Dr. Eloesser portrait back to San Francisco. Unfortunately I did not see any of these films. I am particularly interested in UK-based Professor/filmmaker Laura Mulvey's film Frida Kahlo and Tina Modotti. Perhaps it can be found on the internet. I will continue to explore.

Not on this list is the feature film Frida by Julie Taymor.

Homenaje a Frida Kahlo Galeria de la Raza

Galeria de la Raza located in San Francisco's Mission District presented the exhibition Homenaje a Frida Kahlo in November 2, 1978 - January 12, 1979. Images from the exhibition including a mural by Michael V Rios exhibition poster by artist Rupert Garcia both featuring Kahlo can be viewed online. Galeria de la Raza is under the Executive Direction of Carolina Ponce de Leon who is one of the most inspirational women I met in my post as Director of Arts & Business Partnerships at Business Arts Council in San Francisco.

Frida's Astrological Chart

The things you find on the web. Here is Frida's astrological chart from the webiste Lois Rodden's AstroDataBank. The website also has an interesting take on Frida's bio. If you know how to read these charts perhaps you can make heads or tails of her stay in San Francisco.

Here's how Rodden plotted the chart:

Birth Date:
07/06/1907 (July 6, 1907)
Birth Time:
08:30 (8:30 AM) (+6:36:40)
Birth Place:
Coyoacan, Mexico
Latitude / Longitude:
19 N 20 / 99 W 10
Rodden Rating / Source:
AA / Quoted BC/BR
Source Notes:
LMR quotes Hayden Herrera in his biography "Frida," where he pictures her B.C.
Top

Interpretive Reports
Check these chart interpretations:
From the Indra Report from Kepler.
From the Merlin Report from Kepler.
From the The Sky Within Report from Matrix.
From the Professional Natal Report from Astrolabe.

San Francisco Bay Area artist Rupert Garcia

Rupert Garcia, a renowned San Francisco Bay Area Artist represented by Rena Bransten Gallery has made artwork featuring Frida Kahlo and also presented lectures on her work. In 2004 I had the pleasure of working with Rupert within the Hearts in San Francisco project of which I was Project Coordinator. He designed one of the giant Heart sculptures which was placed in public view during the city-wide exhibition.

If I had known before today that he was so fond of Frida Kahlo I would have spent more time talking with him about his studies on her life and work.

Dr Eloesser's Last Will and Testament

Amazing what you can find on the internet. In a 2007 article discussing the alleged inappropriate use Dr. Eloesser's bequest to a Quaker Charity to benefit medical students the publication AboutPhilly.com has posted a PDF version of Dr. Eloesser's Last Will and Testament. Although there is no mention of Frida or Diego it does give some insight into his personality.

Dr. Leo Eloesser's Last Will and Testament.

The Will was drafted and signed in San Francisco in 1975 and he died in Mexico in 1976 at the age of 95.

The Hoover Institution Papers Contain Frida Kahlo Content

The San Francisco Bay Area is home to Stanford University which houses the Hoover Institution that holds documents related to Frida Kahlo in archive of Bertram David Wolfe and Dr. Leo Eloesser. Both were friends with Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

About Wolfe (from Wikipedia) "Bertram David Wolfe (January 19, 1896 – February 21, 1977) was an American scholar and former Communist best known for writing Three Who Made a Revolution (1948), a biographical study of Lenin, Stalin and Trotsky, and The Fabulous Life of Diego Rivera (ISBN 0-8128-1259-X)." The Wolfe Paper Archives which are the papers were donated by his wife Ella Goldberg Wolfe who donated them when she died on 8 January 2000. Ella was friends with Kahlo and wrote letters.

Link to summary of Wolfe papers

Bert Wolfe paper archives related to Frida Kahlo:
Correspondence 1913 - 1997
[ Folder 55 ]Rivera, Frida Kahlo de, 1933-1946 (8)

Speeches and writing 1914 - 1976
[ Folder 27 ] Frida Kahlo de Rivera (in Spanish), Letras de Mexico, November 1938. Printed copy

Subject file 1903 - 1977
[ Folder 27 ]Rivera, Frida Kahlo

Dr. Eloesser was born in San Francisco in 1881 and Frida was his patient at the San Francisco General Hospital.

Link to summary of Dr. Eloesser's paper which contain content related to Frida Kahlo. Unfortunately no list of content provided on Hoover Institution website.

Website celebrates Frida at 100

A new bilingual Spanish/English website commemorating the 100th anniversary of Frida's birth, July 6 1907, was launched in January 2008 and is a superb resources for information about her life and art.

Excellent photos of Frida in San Francisco.

Visit Frida Kahlo Fans here.