There is a name in the history of Mexican art that although it has been overshadowed by the figure of Frida Kahlo (the works of both artists was widely compared), it still shines with its own light.We are referring to Olga Costa , the talented artist who made Mexico her home and inspiration .Both were great artists who lived great similarities in their lives, both professionally and personally.And if something defines them, in addition to their fragile friendship, it was that they never set aside their roots; On the contrary, they framed them in each of their works.Today in Mysterious we suggest you approach Olga Costa to learn more about her.Are you joining us?
Content Index
What does Olga Costa have in common with Frida Kahlo?
1.Who was Olga Costa
After her father, the Russian musician and political actor Jakob Kostakowsky, was released from jail in 1925, the whole family embarked in Berlin to reach Mexico City.Alli would be established when Olga was barely 12 years old, an age at which he already had a great culture and highly developed plastic baggage .We must take into account the existence of the Bauhaus in Berlin from before that date, and, in addition, the artist's father was always involved in all cultural issues of the time, greatly influencing his daughter.An aspect that we can also find in Frida's childhood, as we appreciate in the article dedicated to Frida Kahlo's Parents.
They quickly establish contacts with the Mexican cultural elite, thanks to which would establish Friendship ties with the artist Diego Rivera .Such was the admiration of our protagonist for the artist who decided to set aside the music (ambit in which it had been developed until then) to fully surrender to the painting.
This change in the course of his life was truly significant for Olga Costa, and in turn unleashed her to relate her to Frida Kahlo on a personal level. Diego Rivera would become the man who would mark the love and work of these two women (as we could explore in our entries dedicated to Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera and, more generally, to Lovers of Frida Kahlo).But not only did Olga Costa gain some popularity; in fact, his enormous talent and his intense pictorial production inspired by Mexico, something that is not difficult to understand, because it is enough to know some of the Curiosities of Mexico and its landscapes to fall in love with this land.
Returning to the paternal influence, specifically to the political ideas of the left , it can be traced on canvases such as Dead child (1944) or The girl with the palms (1944).Not in vain, his father joined the circle of Silvestre Revueltas, belonged to the Communist Party of Mexico (PCM) and the League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists (LEAR) giving free rein to his leftist ideas.
Olga Costa's work, beyond its political approaches, reaped a great success .The jury of the National Prize of Sciences and Arts in the field of Fine Arts, le In 1990 he granted recognition of his artistic work and cultural work.Three years later, however, the artist's death would arrive in Guanajuato, Mexico.
2.The origins of the comparison with Frida Kahlo
All artists create different and completely personal works, even if they belong to the same school or generation, so the comparison among them you can attempt to assess the value of your own work, however, it seems undeniable that all of us end up exercising certain value judgments that make us understand an artist as better, or more prone to our liking, in comparison to others .
It is in this context, in addition to all the similarities, that seems logical to relate the works of two German-born painters established in Mexico in the 1930s .But although Olga Costa and Frida Kahlo kept characteristics similar, his paintings show a different look, both of themselves and of what their land was.While it is true, the rivalry between their two husbands did not allow a friendship to flourish between them, but their strong affiliations to leftist and communist parties also bring them closer in the distance they kept alive.
It is worth mentioning that Costa and Kahlo also shared the transformation that can be seen in their respective self-portraits .In Self-portrait with velvet suit (1926) a Frida is seen without all the glamor of which it was characterized; White, with a long neck and spicy features.In the Self Portrait (1947) of Olga Costa, this is shown with her light blue eyes, straight nose and white complexion, the green color of her blouse enhances her European physical features and features.
Frida Kahlo's painting was totally autobiographical , Frida cannot be understood without her painting, nor is she without it.While Olga Costa tried to envision outside of herself, turning her work into a necessity to understand Mexican history and painting.In any case, Olga seems to be doomed to live under the shadow of Frida.It is practically impossible to look at Olga's paintings not to think In Frida's work, perhaps because of her marked Mexicanness and, clearly, because of her immense talent and use of color.
We say goodbye here for today, but not before encouraging you to leave us a comment telling us all your impressions.Did you know who Olga Costa was? And the reasons that related her to Frida? What do you think about the works of both artists? Leave us your opinion, we will read you delighted. 128578;
Comments
Post a Comment