“Beloved monster”
A narrative inquiry into autobiographical writings of Frida Kahlo
Athena Androutsopoulou | ‘Logo Psychis’- Training and Research Institute for Systemic PsychotherapyAthens, Greece
Ioannis Kalyvopoulos | ‘Logo Psychis’- Training and Research Institute for Systemic PsychotherapyAthens, Greece
Emmanuel Koukidis | ‘Logo Psychis’- Training and Research Institute for Systemic PsychotherapyAthens, Greece
Georgia Koutsavgousti | ‘Logo Psychis’- Training and Research Institute for Systemic PsychotherapyAthens, Greece
Ioanna Passa | ‘Logo Psychis’- Training and Research Institute for Systemic PsychotherapyAthens, Greece
Eleni Tarnara | ‘Logo Psychis’- Training and Research Institute for Systemic PsychotherapyAthens, Greece
Charikleia Tsatsaroni | ‘Logo Psychis’- Training and Research Institute for Systemic PsychotherapyAthens, Greece
This psychobiography study looks into one aspect of Frida Kahlo’s life, her relationship with Diego Rivera. It attempts to solve the puzzle of how Frida managed to reconcile her dedication to Diego, whose behavior was hurtful, with her rebellious character and ideology. Adopting a narrative/dialogical theoretical lens and employing the narrative inquiry method of languages of the unsayable that analyses narrative form, we examined her essay Portrait of Diego. We triangulated findings with letters, diary and paintings. We found that Frida used languages of the unsayable as narrative strategies to manage inner conflict and reconcile dedication with character and ideology. She kept voices of anger and resentment from gaining strength, and downplayed their emotional impact in favor of voices of devotion and despair. The findings point to the importance of looking into both the form and content of autobiographical narratives. Limitations and clinical implications of the study are discussed.
Article outline
- Introduction
- A narrative/dialogical theory lens
- Solving a psychobiography puzzle
- The present study
- Method
- Languages of the Unsayable
- Materials
- Ethical and validity issues
- Narrative analysis
- Findings
- The essay
- Diego’s shape
- Diego’s personality
- Frida’s role
- Their relationship
- The letters
- Letter to Ella and Bertram Wolfe (1934)
- Letter to Diego (1935)
- The diary
- The paintings
- Discussion
- Clinical implications
- Reflexivity and study limitations
-
References
References (49)
References
Androutsopoulou, A. (2011). Red balloon: Approaching dreams as self-narratives. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 371, 479–490. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Androutsopoulou, A. (2015). Moments of meaning: Identifying inner voices in the autobiographical texts of ‘Mark’. Qualitative Psychology, 21, 130–146. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Androutsopoulou, A. (2019). “My broken chrysalis”: Narrative processes in Woolf’s autobiographical writings of sexual trauma. Qualitative Psychology. First published online. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Androutsopoulou, A., Dima, E., Papageorgiou, S., & Papanikolaou, T. (2019). Constructing “Georgia”: Love, play, work as a central theme in O’ Keeffe’s early and late memories. In Z. Kövary. & C.-H. Mayer (Eds.), New trends in psychobiography (pp. 325–342). Springer. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Androutsopoulou, A., Rozou, E., Vakondiou, M. (2019b). Voices of “hope” and “despair”: A narrative-dialogical inquiry into the diaries, letters and suicide notes of Virginia Woolf. Journal of Constructivist Psychology. First published online. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Androutsopoulou, A., Thanopoulou, K., Economou, E., & Bafiti, T. (2004). Forming criteria for assessing the coherence of clients’ life stories: A narrative study. Journal of Family Therapy, 261, 384–405. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Bakewell, L. (1993). Frida Kahlo: A contemporary feminist reading. Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies, 13 (3), 165–189. [URL]
Bauer, C. (2014). Frida Kahlo. Prestel.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Brigley Thompson, Z. (2017). Still devouring Frida Kahlo: Psychobiography versus postcolonial and disability readings. In B. Martín-Lucas & A. Ruthven (Eds.), Narratives of difference in globalized cultures: Reading transnational cultural commodities (pp. 57–80). Palgrave Macmillan. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Bruner, J. S. (2004). The narrative creation of self. In L. A. Angus & J. McLeod (Eds.), The handbook of narrative and psychotherapy (pp. 2–14). Sage. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Bruner, J. S. (1990). Acts of meaning. Harvard University Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Crowther, B. (1999). Writing as performance: Young girls’ diaries. In R. Josselson & A. Lieblich (Eds.), Making meaning of narratives. The narrative study of lives (pp. 197–220). Sage. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Feldman, G. C. (1999). Dissociation, repetition-compulsion and the art of Frida Kahlo. Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis, 271, 387–396. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Fivush, R. (2010). Speaking silence: The social construction of silence in autobiographical and cultural narratives. Memory, 181, 88–98. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Gergen, K. J. (2014). Pursuing excellence in qualitative inquiry. Qualitative Psychology, 11, 49–60. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Hermans, H. J. M. (2004). The dialogical self: Between exchange and power. In H. J. M. Hermans & G. Dimaggio (Eds.), The dialogical self in psychotherapy (pp. 13–28). Bruner-Routledge. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Hermans, H. J. M. & Dimaggio, G. (Eds.). (2004). The dialogical self in psychotherapy. Brunner-Routledge. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Hermans, H. J. M. & Gieser, T. (Eds.). (2014). Handbook of dialogical self-theory. Cambridge University Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Josselson, R. (2007a). Love in the narrative context: The relationship between Henry Murray and Christina Morgan. In R. Josselson, A. Lieblich, & D. P. MacAdams (Eds.), The meaning of others: Narrative studies of relationships (pp. 21–50). American Psychological Association. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Josselson, R. (2007b). The ethical attitude in narrative research: Principles and practicalities. In D. J. Clandinin (Ed.), Handbook of narrative inquiry (pp. 537–566). Sage Publications. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kahlo, F. (1995a). The letters of Frida Kahlo: Cartas apasionadas (M. Zamora, Ed.). Chronicle Books.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kahlo, F. (with Fuentes, I.). (1995b). The diary of Frida Kahlo: An intimate self-portrait. Abrams.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kozloff, J. (1978). Frida Kahlo. Women’s Studies, 61, 43–59. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kőváry, Z. & Mayer, C-H. (Eds.) (2019). New trends in psychobiography. Springer.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kulish, N. (2006). Frida Kahlo and object choice: A daughter the rest of her life. Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 261, 7–31. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Lieblich, A., Tuval-Maschiach, R., & Zilber, T. (1998). Narrative research: Reading, analysis and interpretation. Sage. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Lindauer, M. A. (1999). Devouring Frida: The art history and popular celebrity of Frida Kahlo. Wesleyan University Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Le Clezio, J. M. G. (1993). Diego and Frida. Paris: Stock.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
McAdams, D. P., Josselson, R., & Lieblich, A. (2001). The narrative study of lives: Introduction to the series. In D. P. McAdams, R. Josselson, & A. Lieblich (Eds.), Turns in the road: Narrative studies of lives in transition (pp. xi–xiv). American Psychological Association. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
McNamee, S., & Gergen, K. J. (1999). Relational responsibility: Resources for sustainable dialogue. Sage. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
McLeod, J. (2001). Qualitative research in counselling and psychotherapy. Sage. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
McLeod, J. (2010). Case study research in counselling and psychotherapy. Sage. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Osatuke, K., Gray, M. A., Glick, M. J., Stiles, W. B., & Barkham, M. (2004). Hearing voices: Methodological issues in measuring internal multiplicity. In H. J. M. Hermans, & G. Dimaggio (Eds.), The dialogical self in psychotherapy (pp. 237–254). Bruner-Routledge. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Pérez Alonso, L. (2014). Frida Kahlo and the improper/unclean: Toward the condition of abjection. Women’s Studies, 431, 407–424. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Ponterotto, J. G. (2014). Best practices in psychobiographical research. Qualitative Psychology, 11, 77–90. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Ponterotto, J. G. & Reynolds (Taewon Choi), J. D. (2017). Ethical and legal considerations in psychobiography. American Psychologist, 721, 446–458. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Poppova, M. (2016). Frida Kahlo on how love amplifies beauty: Her breath-taking tribute to Diego Rivera. [URL]
Raggatt, P. T. F. (2007). Forms of positioning in the dialogical self: A system of classification and the strange case of Dame Edna Everage. Theory and Psychology, 171, 355–382. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Rogers, A. G. (2006). The unsayable: The hidden language of trauma. Ballantine Books.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Rogers, A. G., Casey, M. E., Ekert, J., Holland, J., Nakkula, V., & Sheinberg, N. (1999). An interpretative poetics of languages of the unsayable. In Josselson, R., & Lieblich, A. (Eds.), Making meaning of narratives: The Narrative study of lives (pp. 77–106). Sage. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Schultz, W. T. (2003). The prototypical scene: A method for generating psychobiographical hypotheses. In R. Josselson, A. Lieblich, & D. P. McAdams (Eds.), Up close and personal. The teaching and learning of narrative research (pp. 151–175). American Psychological Association. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Schultz, W. T. (Ed.). (2005). Handbook of psychobiography. Oxford University Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Schultz, W. T., & Lawrence, S. (2017). Psychobiography: Theory and method. American Psychologist, 721, 434–445. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Schick Makaroff, K. L., Sheilds, L., Anita Molzahn, A. (2013). Stories of chronic kidney disease: listening for the unsayable, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 69, 12. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Siltala, P. (1998). I made a picture of my life – a life from the picture: The life of the body in the pictures and writings of Frida Kahlo. International Forum of Psychoanalysis, 71, 133–155. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Sorsoli, L. (2010). “I remember”, “I thought”, “I know I didn’t say”: Silence and memory in trauma narratives. Memory, 181, 129–141. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2020). Figure of speech. Encyclopedia Britannica. [URL]
Yang, M. Y. (1997). Pain and painting: Frida Kahlo’s visual autobiography. Auto/biography studies, 121, 121–133. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Cited by (1)
Cited by one other publication
Androutsopoulou, Athena & Christos Korovilas
2024.
The Greek photographer
Nelly’s
: the interplay of personal and socio-cultural theme of ‘rebirth’
.
International Review of Psychiatry 36:1-2
► pp. 104 ff.
![DOI logo](//benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 5 july 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers.
Any errors therein should be reported to them.