"TREE OF HOPE, REMAIN STRONG"

         “Tree of Hope, Remain Strong” is a painting by Frida Khalo, created in 1946, asa portrait of herself for her patrón, Eduardo Morillo

This duality portrait shows the recent surgery of its author and what her feelings were.

The painting is composed of two parts: night and day, and two Fridas.  In the foreground, a convalescent Frida shows us her injured bloody back, lying on a hospital bed. 

Before her, other Frida, sitting in a big wooden chair and dressed in a Tehuana costume, grabs our attention.  This healthy Frida is holding a pink orthopedic corset in her left hand (she must use it for a long time). In the other hand, she is holding a flag in which are written these words in red: “Arbol de la Esperanza, Mantente Firme”, from the song “Cielito Lindo”.

These two Fridas are static characters in an isolated and devastated background.  Indeed, the landscape has two fissures, what symbolize the wounds on her back.

The artist uses the dualism of the Mexican mythology as an inspiration and as her way of life. 

The lied and feeble body is looking to the sun, what eats blood of human victims, as the Mexican mythology says.  She feels as a victim of a botched surgery.

The moon, femininity symbol, connects with the flourishing Frida, who feels full of hope, and sets herself up as the heroic survivor.

The fact of putting two Frida´s images together is an act of faith, meaning that Frida takes charge of her destiny and become her own saver and hero.

Frida Khalo is one of my favourite painters because of the passion and violent reality that shows her work.  This picture remains me that I am my only saver, nobody else could help me if I don´t help myself first.  No matter what have happened in the past, you would always see the future in a better way.