Public Domain
Self-Portrait Along the Border Line Between Mexico and the United States
by Frida Kahlo
StyleSurrealism
GenreSelf-Portrait
Artwork Details
Where to See It
Maria Rodriquez de Reyero Collection, New York City, NYNew York, US
Permanently housed
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Frida Kahlo completed this self-portrait in 1932 while living in Detroit with her husband Diego Rivera, who was working on murals for the Detroit Institute of Arts. She stands at the center of the canvas in a pink dress, literally straddling the border between two worlds: Mexico on her left, the United States on her right.
The contrast couldn't be sharper. The Mexican side bursts with ancient pyramids, pre-Columbian sculptures, native plants, and a sun and moon together in the sky. The American side features factory smokestacks, the Ford Motor Company logo, and industrial machinery churning out smoke. Kahlo holds a small Mexican flag in one hand and a cigarette in the other, making her cultural allegiance clear even as she acknowledges her physical presence in industrial America.
The painting expresses the profound displacement Kahlo felt during her time in the United States. She missed Mexico intensely and struggled with the cold, mechanized culture she encountered. The work also reflects her complicated relationship with modernity and progress, themes she would explore throughout her career. The painting remains in a private collection, owned by Maria Rodriguez de Reyero, and rarely appears in public exhibitions of Kahlo's portrait work.
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About Self-Portrait Along the Border Line Between Mexico and the United States
This painting belongs to a private collection owned by Maria Rodriguez de Reyero. Unlike many of Kahlo's works housed in Mexican museums, this piece rarely appears in public exhibitions, making it one of her less accessible major paintings.
Frida Kahlo created this painting during her unhappy stay in Detroit in 1932. She felt alienated from American industrial culture and longed for Mexico. The work expresses her cultural identity conflict and her preference for Mexican traditions over American machinery.
The Mexican side features Aztec pyramids, pre-Columbian fertility sculptures, native flowers, and cosmic imagery. The American side shows Ford factory smokestacks, electrical equipment, and industrial pollution. Kahlo holds a Mexican flag, declaring her allegiance despite standing between both worlds.
Kahlo accompanied her husband Diego Rivera while he painted murals at the Detroit Institute of Arts. She found the industrial city cold and alienating, suffering a miscarriage during her stay. These difficult experiences directly influenced this painting and several other works from the period.
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