Valerie Quintana Frida Kahlo My Dress Hangs There- I have read that this piece was made off

of her perspective of crossing over the border from Mexico to New York, she started on the second visit and added to it over the three years that they kept crossing over. It seems to be little the individual especially the foreign woman. It shows the American obsession for building and expanding. The toilet to me show that maybe that America is in some way more advanced than Mexico or just other third world countries in general. Theres also the gas pumps and the trophy and the well dressed woman on the build board and not to mention the statue of Liberty is present, Frida could be mocking our obsession for greatness, wealth, and beauty, sports, and technology. During that time period there was a great obsession in the America culture for sports and Frida was aware of that. We still have at obsession. Where in other countries the family is something that they obsess over. Frida was known for showing the important of the earth and women being the nurture in her paintings. Where in this collage it shows that men are the ones that create society and structure. The piece shows Fridas feelings on crossing over to both sides and the issues of the borders, also what the borders mean for the different culture of women (their roles) and Fridas experience in the United States. Self-Portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States- In this painting you can tell that she doesnt like the United States. Frida was homesick when she had painted this piece. She had the experience of living in two different worlds and coming from two different culture. Her mother a Mexican, with Indian and Spanish blood and her father a German- Jewish immigrant. So she stands on the border in the painting. She saw that the United States was unfriendly with the earth and the other countries. The US pollutes the air and they build skyscrapers that are portrayed as remote and unfriendly. That the US is the place of machines and someone stated that Mexico is meant for life, beauty, and human connectedness. Which where Frida shows with the pre- Columbian temple that Mexico has a great long history, she embraced the culture to show that she rejected the European tradition and embraced her roots. The sun and the moon show the importance of the man and the woman in the culture, that they indicate life. The skull can symbolize that death is unavoidable able and that since their culture doesnt occupy themselves with such great things they are more aware of that stage in life. Where the American, well most think that they can live forever. The plants and flowers are there to show that Mexico is still natural compared to their neighbors how only care about industrializing their land. Then Frida stands in the middle of both worlds, she dressed as an elegant lady but has a cigarette in one hand and a flag in the other. To me shes saying she is still a lady but is not afraid to be rebellious when the time comes. The Other Frida- I had said before that Frida came from different cultures. She wasnt a full blooded Mexican. But because of marring Diego, he inspired her to embrace and love the Mexican heritage. While many were embracing the European culture they both saw that it was totally inadequate to do that because they lived in such a beautiful country. This painting shows her European side on the left and the Mexican on the right. Two side of Frida but for me she

seem to favor the left because of how much Diego had loved her that way. Frida has scissors and is cutting the vein to the European hear, maybe she want to get rid of her European side and only be the side that Diego loved so much. Also the European had is on top of the Mexican side so maybe she still sees that the Europeans are more superior and she wants to get rid of it. But if I remember right this was painted after Diego had betrayed her so even though that the two Fridas are different they still feel the same pain and hurt for something that they both feel that they have lost. That is the only thing that makes them one, hence why they both have hearts. But still beautiful on both sides, even though one is simpler than the other, the type of clothes you wear doesnt make you a better person than the other.