Brava

I went to the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art this weekend. It was heavy. Frida is a woman whose intensity transcends time and space. Her subjectivity was the center of her art. Walking through the exhibit made me think of the countless stories I have been trying to translate that sit at the crossroads of HIV, gender, race, and love. Frida had been through it but she had staying power.

In the audio portion of the exhibit, the Chicana artist and cultural critic Amalia Mesa-Bains made the point of distinguishing what Frida represented to Chicanas versus women at large. To the Chicanas, Frida represented the spirit of resilience and "brava". Whereas the perceptions in the broader women's community was Frida as an icon of suffering. It's interesting how audience defines the narrative. What is the lesson to teach?

For stories of HIV, race, gender and love... brava is the only way forward.