Gone are the days when a birthday party meant a simple sheet cake from the corner grocery store and a pre-packaged “pin the tail on the donkey” banner. These imaginative Latinos are taking it to the next level with the help of the one and only Frida Kahlo.
Frida was known to rock bright, bold colors, literally from head to toe.
Everyone looks fantastic in flowers crowns, tbh… mujeres *and* hombres.
We are OBSESSED with the little hammocks, the banners made out of the same pattern as your abuela’s tablecloth, and the frames hanging from the branches of this willow tree.
Frida Kahlo is the most recognizable Mexican painter of the past century. That bold brow, traditional Mexican garb and piercing stare are undeniably Frida in a way that makes her completely unique among other artists. She’s also one of the most widely portrayed Mexican figures of all time. Her image adorns everything from tee-shirts and jewelry to murals and makeup. Her image is so recognizable that flower crowns, red lipstick, and ungroomed eyebrows will forever have an association with the artist.
To add to the Frida imagery in our world, a new mural featuring the famous artista has just been unveiled in Mexico and she has never looked better.
Painted by Irish artist Fin DAC, the mural portrays Frida Kahlo in bold primary colors and traditional Mexican dress.
Twitter / @la_linea
The artwork is named “Magdalena” and is located in Guadalajara — the capital of Jalisco. In the mural, Frida is represented with a full-body image, hands placed together in front of her as if in prayer. Vibrant flowers and butterflies adorn her like a crown in true Frida fashion.
She wears a huipil (a multicolored blouse traditionally found in southern Mexico), a pink shawl and a long blue skirt accentuated with various-sized skulls. The ten-story mural also depicts the artist with a blue mask across her eyes. This is artist Fin DAC’s signature that he adds to all of his pieces and works to enhance the dark stare that Frida gives viewers.
The artist responsible for this mural has lots of experience creating urban art in Latin America.
Twitter / @BrasilEFE
Between 2012 and 2017, Fin DAC visited Latin America several times. He created six murals total in Colombia and Brazil during that time. This is his first time creating art in Mexico. The artistic is known for his style — called “Urban Aesthetics” — and has made art on the streets of five different continents. His images also include women dressed in the native costume of their countries and are finished with his signature mask.
The artist explained the reasoning for his attention to national traditions to Mexanist. He said:
“No matter the culture and nationality for me, I am more interested in the type of clothing typical of each place, each country and each place has something to offer and show in this sense.”
For Fin DAC, the choice to depict Frida on this wall was an easy one. The artist explained that her own artwork always sought to exalt the women it depicted — much like his own. Frida’s own famous way of dressing always incorporated traditional Mexican costuming too so the decision to paint the famous Mexican for this piece was “almost obvious” to the painter.
The artist was invited to create this mural as part of celebrations for the Despertares Impulsa dance festival.
Instagram / @findac
Created by famous Mexican dancer, Isaac Hernández, the Despertares Impulsa dance festival began as a way to gather and stimulate the creative industry in Mexico. With the backing of the Mexican National Institute of Fine Arts, the event offers performances, workshops, lectures, master classes and meet and greets. The festival also offers opportunities for free auditions to different international dance companies.
Fin DAC was invited to create this piece by the director of Despertares Impulsa. The image was painted on a wall facing Chapultepec Avenue — a busy street that receives lots of traffic in the urban area. Fin DAC choose this location purposefully for this reason.
“When you see a spectacular advertising pole,” he said, “You see an image trying to sell you something you don’t need, but it makes you feel like you want it. (On the other hand) when you see a piece of art on the street it brings you a moment of happiness and peace, nothing from the advertising you see will make you happy, but art can definitely do it.
The mural was officially unveiled on July 15th, 2019 as part of the festival’s celebrations.
Twitter / @findac
The unveiling comes at a time of year significant to Frida fans. July 6th was the 112th anniversary of the artist’s birth. The 65th anniversary of her passing also happened this past month on the 13th of July. As such, this beautiful mural is an appropriate gift to honor the late Mexican artist.
The decision to receive a tattoo can be deeply personal, particularly because the art of ink is a decision with lifelong effects. Tattoos on our skin are so woven into the skin that they ultimately end up making up such a major part of a person’s identity. That’s why when picking out a tattoo, people usually go to great lengths to find the perfect artist. Not just someone who has talent, but someone who can be precise and understanding of the depiction they are attempting to create. For so many Latinas who decide to get a tattoo, this is especially true. Often times, our tattoos tell stories of our Latinidad, our family and our written in our native languages. As such, seeking out a fellow Latina who can do the work on us can be just as equally as important as finding the perfect design.
As the tattoo industry grows, the once-male dominated world of tattooing is seeing more women tattoo artists than ever. So, of course, we have to shout out our Latina hermanas who are repping the Latinidad in the world of ink. Here are some of the most talented Latina tattoo artists in the game.
From São Paulo, Brazil, Jessica Coqueiro produces beautiful works of art in shades of black. Specializing in gorgeous and elegant floral designs, Coquerio also expertly inks animal imagery. She also has a few surreal pieces that will blow your mind. Her soft line work and attention to detail are impressive qualities that all of her pieces share.
Tattooing from Brazil’s Arte Misia Ink, Julia Bicudo tattoos both in color and shades of black. Her portfolio is very eclectic too. You’ll find America traditional pieces alongside geometrical designs as well as traditional floral and animal motifs. From these designs, it’s easy to see how versatile and talented Bicudo is.
Floral work like this has to be done in bright vivid color and Latina tattooist Amanda Rodriguez knows how to deliver. Working out of Brooklyn as well as across the pond in London, Rodriguez comes from a fine arts background. She brings that level of detail into her traditional and realism tattoos but isn’t afraid to spice it up with thick line work and abstract elements.
Orange County tattoo artist and painter, Noemi Barajas uses striking pops of color to bring her pieces to life. She also works as a traditional artist and her painting techniques are obvious in her compositions. Her black and white pieces are also stunning works of art in their own respect.
The use of solid black in a tattoo makes the whole piece pop and artist Esther Garcia isn’t afraid to prove it. Her use of elegant, full-color florals against black backgrounds is simply breathtaking. The Chicago artist is in her element when she is drawing and inking nature but her pieces are far from traditional. Sometimes Garcia likes to get surreal and she creates amazing tats like this one.
Hailing from L.A. by way of Mexico City, Roxi Satni excels at laying down smooth black and white ink. Using points of black to apply shading, she gives her art shape and dimension in a very tangible way. Inspired by flowers and nature, Satni has developed her own style reminiscent of old school American traditional.
Located in São Paulo, Brazil, Olga Marques uses fine lines to give her artwork a sketchy feel. Specializing in figure drawing and stylized portraits, her work is very dynamic. She also happens to have the power of anime on her side. Check out her tats of anime heroes like Goku and Naruto to see the full scope of her talent.
Tattooing for 23 years, Rocio works in Oakland and has been creating in the Bay area since 1996. She practices in many styles; doing everything from portrait art to cover-ups. Nature and botanicals are mainstays in her artwork and she delivers them with precision and skill.
Specializing in Chicano-style tattooing, Tamara Santibañez operates out of New York City. Traditional Chicano imagery appears in her work as does the looping, clean cursive that is associated with that style. She is also an artist with a residency at MAD — The Museum of Arts and Design . Santibañez has even show her own public installation to rave reviews.
Don’t let the minimalist designs fool you. It takes a lot of talent to be this precise. Working out of Bang Bang Tattoo in New York City, Michelle Santana specializes in clean lines and small designs that make a big impression. She has even been featured in Forbes Magazine for her talent as an enterprising tattoo artist.
California tattoo artist Arlene Salinas likes to do America tradition art while drawing from Latinx imagery. Working in both color and black and white, she finds inspiration for her own art in the work of her friends and peers in the tattoo community. Clean lines and a soft touch is what you’ll see in her portfolio.
Is that a photograph or a tattoo? Christina Ramos’s photo-realistic tattoos are masterpieces. She also creates amazing paintings using the same hyper-realistic style. Based in California, the tattooist works predominantly is smooth gray-scale and rich blacks to create her pieces.
São Paulo-based artist Vivian Turini builds masterpieces from points of ink. The pointillism she uses could put any neo-impressionist painter to shame. Her use of negative space makes as much of an impact as her ink does. Turini’s subject matter varies but her floral pieces are especially impressive.
Born in Uruguay and working in Quebec, Magdalena Lobo tattoos in the American traditional style; focusing in bold lines, pops of color, and simpler designs. She is also heavily influenced by her Latinx culture as well as yoga and spirituality. Of all her pieces, her figure drawings are exceptionally charming.
Located in Chicago, Nazareth Garcia is a tattoo artist with a BFA in Fine Arts at the American Academy of Art. Drawing inspiration from her roots, you’ll find Indigenous and Aztec imagery in her work. She creates in black with occasional uses of color and is an amazing painter.
Operating out of Oregon and Washington, Rebecca Rodela is a Chicana tattoo artist. Classically trained, she is talented with a pen or brush but her real love is tattooing. She works in both color and black and white and covers all kinds of themes in her pieces. Rodela’s use of color is delicate and her line work varies from bold to incredibly thin depending on the tattoo.
Freelance tattoo artist Makita Boom tattoos out of Los Angeles, California. She has applied her neo-traditional style to all sorts of designs ranging from pop culture to stylized botanicals. Her portfolio is full of boldly colored, minimalist designs that you will fall in love with.
Los Angeles tattoo artist Galie Casillas focuses on using smooth grays and bold blacks to create her Chicano-style tattoos. Skeletons, angles, religious icons and Aztec imagery star in many of her pieces. Casillas specializes in photo-realistic portraits that are brought to life with her precise shading, detail work, and figure drawing.
Share this story with all of your friends by tapping our little share buttons below!
