Picture This Gallery finds images of Frida Kahlo we haven’t seen

M. ANGEL ACORDAGOITIA’S ‘FRIDA’

The star power of its namesake places high expectations on Picture This Gallery’s annual “Frida Kahlo Art Exhibit.” Mainly there’s the necessity that nothing here should resemble any other representation of Frida you’ve ever seen—on lighters, refrigerator magnets or purses; or in her art, the art of others or photographs taken of the artist.

“We get a lot of copies of her work and I have to go through them,” gallery owner Marisol Gomez says ruefully. “She gets more of an audience because she connects to more people.”

Frida’s status as near-saint for her time on earth as an artist, feminist and tortured soul means the gallery got even more submissions this year than last. Just 29 were chosen, owing to its tiny size, but your own personal Frida is probably in that number.

For artist M. Angel Acordagoitia, she is Frida (like Liza or Mao, one name will suffice): painted a la the Virgin of Guadalupe, with exactly the same reverence. His massive canvas is photorealist Frida—a painstaking vision resembling a vintage, hand-tinted photo. Sunwashed, her eyes downcast, her hair covered, she is truly Saint Frida.

But that’s not for Jacque Forsher; he gives us Frida Went to Dallas—which sounds like Frida did Dallas, but of course isn’t. It’s not unlike a society portrait: The artist writ large, y’all, as big-haired, monolithic Texas gal—makeup exquisite, that unibrow overpowered by a neon yellow dress. Clearly, she would have owned Dallas—or her own weather system.

Or the beach. Or the hood. Denise S. Cortes goes there, in a triptych, Frida: La Beach Bunny, Frida: La Chola and Frida: La Earth Mother, with three modern takes on the Frida myth. La Earth Mother is the most straightforward: pregnant Frida, in a graphic style and glowing. La Beach Bunny imagines her en la playa in a red polka dot bikini, her wooden leg exposed. She hides behind sunglasses, and the smoke from her cigarette forms a skull.

“Cigarette of death,” Gomez says.

La Chola is the funniest of the three: Frida as loca, with black rubber bracelets wrapped around one wrist and flashing a “W” with her right hand. There’s a “Diego” tattoo on her left bicep, of course—and she wears an army surplus belt.

The belt buckle? It’s an “F” for Frida, natch. Makes you say, ¿Q’ubo, Frida?

Something that doesn’t—a piece that inspires mainly awe—is LaTeeFah WriGht’s amazing Señor XoLotL & St. Frida, one of two pieces she has in the exhibit. One of a few artists who has shown here before, WriGht delivers a porcelain Frida figure, about 18 inches tall, her little chihuahua by her side. She’s hunched over, and her spine is actually exposed—but she’s still commanding. You can still just barely see into her eyes.

Frida’s little dog, Señor XoLotL (probably a Mexican hairless in real life) is pudgy, like a little bulldog here, and he gazes up at her with round, loving brown eyes. Around the back, there’s a music box in a hole in her long flowing skirt. Turn it on and it plays—a tune that’s somehow unrecognizable. The effect is amazing, like one of Camille Rose Garcia’s dolls come to life.

It’s one of the most compelling works here—in part simply because it’s not a painting, and much of the rest of the show is. There’s something else here, too, though: the chance to see a new Frida through new eyes, which is just what a yearly show like this needs.

THE ANNUAL FRIDA KAHLO ART EXHIBIT PICTURE THIS GALLERY & CUSTOM FRAMING | 4130 NORSE WAY | LONG BEACH 90808 | 562.425.4861 | OPEN TUES-FRI 12-6PM AND SAT 10AM-4PM | THROUGH SEPT 13

Tags: art, frida kahlo, Long Beach, picture this gallery