ART NOTES | Richard Hambleton by Franc Palaia

 

Richard Hambleton has been called the godfather of street art, though that title is hotly debated. Hambleton began producing what he called ‘public art’  in New York City in the 1970s. He’s known for the black silhouette figures he first painted on the buildings of New York’s Lower East Side, which he called Shadowmen 

 

ARTPIE - Richard Hambleton’s Shadowmen

 

a favourite here 

 We all used to think that only Banksy represented Street Art here in the UK but the history books will tell it differently (I hope). Now don’t get me wrong as I am a Banksy fan and of street art so called in general but the history will show from the early days of the Mexican Muralists (Rivera, Siqueros, Orozco et al) to the Basquiat’s and stellar Keith Haring taking the USA street levels of high art to the likes of Banksy with his more accessible street art all across the south of England and based in Bristol or so we think. The European tradition follows folk like Blek Le Rat and others but American Richard Hambleton seems to escape scrutiny and due recognition  somehow . . . . . . . 

Frida Kahlo

THE DAY OF FRIDA KHALO'S MARRIAGE (August 21, 1929) 

She was petite, barely twenty-two years old when she joined her life with him, a huge, fat man of forty-three years old, divorced, and a communist. The party took place in a house in Coyoacán owned by a great friend of the couple: Tina Modotti. 

To everyone's surprise, the main dish of the banquet: black mole from Oaxaca was prepared by Lupe Marín who was Diego's ex-wife, the same one who had starred in several scandals due to her jealousy. In addition to the black mole, there were a series of Mexican dishes to delight the guests' palates: stuffed chiles, pozole, rice, capirotada and wedding cake, to drink: pulque and tequila, or failing that, fruit water.  

The bride's mother was heartbroken, she had done everything possible to avoid that wedding, she who had put so much effort into her daughter's education, she who was so Catholic and the groom who was so atheist and so communist. Dear God! The demon had entered his house! The bride's father consoled his wife by making her see that it was not so bad. Together they left the party early. 

Late at night, Lupe Marín approached the bride, lifted her skirt and pointed to her legs while shouting, calling the guests' attention: Look! See these sticks? This is what Diego has now instead of my legs! The poor bride freed herself as best she could and ran to hide from the mocking giggles and uncomfortable exclamations of the guests who had seen her right leg thinned by polio. 

This was the marriage celebration of Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón and Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera and Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez, 94 years ago.

Frida Kahlo, July 6, 1907 – July 13, 1954.   Nickolas Muray 1938

It is worth noting Frida was nothing if not a free spirit never mind her obese husband (who she married twice!) but she was also known to have had affairs with the legendary Nikolas Murray and Tina Modotti certainly bi-sexual she numbered many among her admirers and lovers

MARIA FELIX - Actor, Muse and Diva, Lover and Beauty Queen

 I found this fascinating article about Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and the 'diva' Maria 'La Doña' Félix over at the always interesting Messy Nessy (see link below)

The phrase ‘femme fatale’ must have been invented for ‘La Doña’ – diva of the golden age of Mexican cinema, María Félix. Strong-willed, outspoken, controversial and drop-dead gorgeous, her life story is that of a movie script, an escapee from desperate and humble beginnings, teenage beauty queen, silver screen actress with multiple marriages and even more bisexual love affairs, not to mention one particularly high profile ménage à trois that got her wrapped up in the tangled sheets of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s famously fiery relationship.

https://www.messynessychic.com/2022/06/01/the-femme-fatale-who-rejected-frida-kahlos-marriage-proposal/

check it out worth a read for art buffs and not . . . . . 

KAHLO and RIVERA

I had been aware quite recently of some Rivera paintings that struck me as less than brilliant not to say kitsch. I had been a fan of Frida Kahlo since being introduced to her work by my former colleague art curator, Carol Brown and her fellow educator in all things artistic, Christine Newton both of whom I worked with at MOMA in Oxford. 

We did a series on the Mexican Muralists featuring a one man history show curated by David Elliot on 'Orozco' but I was more drawn toward the overtly political but somehow more decorative work of David Siquireos and also the monumental radical work by Diego Rivera. Rivera was a larger than life figure in more ways than one and yet his partner suffered in his shadow until much later. I much prefer her autobiographical work than the architectural posturing of the greatness of the menfolk however politically noble the message. But how do they compare when it came to easel painting? Much of Rivera's work for murals was executed upon linen first and the painted style and graphic accuracy here was a wonder. (see below) but by the thirties and forties he seemed to have lost something. Indeed he seemed to have completely lost any semblance of 'message' or even skill or style. Some of the later pictures of film stars and children are mawkish to the point of parody but that they were serious is a given surely?

“Gloriosa Victoria.” Oil on Linen - D Rivera

Something very odd happened at this time and his work seemed to become almost consciously kitsch and rather similar at times to the dreadfully glaring kitsch of Margaret Keane (she who painted the awful big eyed cats and children paintings so popular in the sixties) They even featured and appeared to be currying favour with the figures of Hollywood as the portraits of Linda Christian and Paulette Goddard, amongst others, prove. Was Diego prosituting his art for the highest bidder? The paintings of Goddard are still stunning and have a semblance of his once great style but by the time he is painting a garish distorted portrait of Linda Christian the style and craft is gone. 

Goddard by Rivera

Goddard with her 'vanity' piece by Rivera

'Linda Christian' by Rivera

Portrait of Maria Felix-a Mexican actress - Rivera

Rivera painting Felix

Actress Silvia Pinal by Rivera in his studio in San Ángel

Rivera

Rivera

Child with Calla lillies-Rivera 

Portrait of Ignacio Sanchez - Rivera 

Portrait of a Young Mexican Peasant boy wearing a Straw hat and holding an Orange - Rivera

Portrait of an Actress - Rivera 1948

To me these later paintings bear little to no resemblance to the painted style, the graphic mark making if you will, as seen above in the mural study “Gloriosa Victoria.” What happened?

Kahlo as a young woman at her peak 

Whilst she may have fallen to the cult of personality, it seems clear to me her work is a far far superior form entirely to that of her mentor, lover and twice married husband (sic) despite the tempestuous nature of their relationship, both seeking lovers at various times, it is obvious the lasting work is done by Kahlo. Whilst apparently happy to be the subservient figure in the relationship, she seemed to know her own greatness was her destiny (see the article below) working even when in great pain and discomfort she remained a truly great and totally unique painter to the very end

Frida after her operation on her spine still working

Rivera and Frida

“You deserve a lover who takes away the lies and brings you hope, coffee, and poetry.” 

― Frida Kahlo

“I recommend her to you, not as a husband but as an enthusiastic admirer of her work, acid and tender, hard as steel and delicate and fine as a butterfly’s wing, lovable as a beautiful smile, and as profound and cruel as the bitterness of life.” 

― Diego Rivera

Vintage B&W portraits of Frida here . . . .

Frida has the last word . . . .