Virtual Author Talk: Frida Kahlo and the Impact of Place

Join the History & Genealogy Library for a virtual talk with art historian Celia Stahr, author of Frida in America: The Creative Awakening of a Great Artist. Stahr will discuss Frida Kahlo’s creative and personal journey while living in the United States with a particular focus on Kahlo’s time in San Francisco and Santa Rosa. A visit to Luther Burbank’s home and garden inspired a breakthrough style of painting as Kahlo depicted Burbank as a hybrid. This is just one example of the way in which Kahlo’s experiences living in the United States had an important impact on her as an artist. As one of Kahlo’s favorite writers D.H. Lawrence put it: “All art partakes of the Spirit of Place in which it is produced.”

About the Author: Celia Stahr, PhD, teaches art history at the University of San Francisco, where she specializes in modern, contemporary, African, and multicultural art. Stahr is particularly interested in artists who cross cultural boundaries. Her book Frida in America: The Creative Awakening of a Great Artist, which was published in 2020 by St. Martin’s Press, delves into Frida Kahlo’s personal and creative breakthroughs while living in the United States. The book received many positive reviews in publications such as the New York Times, Art in America, and Kirkus Review. It was named one of five art books to read in 2021 by Art New England and Booklist named it in their master list of Editors’ Choice: Adult Books of 2020. Stahr will appear in a 3-part BBC docuseries on Frida Kahlo that is slated to air in 2023.