Chicano Artist Creates Extraordinary Portrait of Frida Kahlo Using Only Mexican Gum
We are so amazed at the countless ways people can portray Frida Kahlo
Photo: Instagram/@francolafresh
We are so amazed at the countless ways people can portray Frida Kahlo. Whether you’re posting an Instagram picture of this Mexican queen or impersonating her at a Frida festival, the options are truly endless. Just look at the Ruben Dario Villa, a Chicano artist and designer, who has created a stunning image of Frida but not with paint but with Mexican gum known as Chiclets.
So how could an artist use those tiny pieces a gum to make a portrait? Villa seems to have first designed his image and then worked on it by hand. Check it out.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVxG55nBIzj/?taken-by=rdvious
As you can see the image of Frida was visually depicted on his screen and he had to match each Chiclet to his vision.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVyXdG4B6Gl/?taken-by=rdvious
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BV00uCUhbCm/?taken-by=rdvious
Villa said it took him almost 6,000 Chiclets to make this extraordinary portrait. Check out the finished product below!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV3lhVHBvMP/?taken-by=rdvious
The portrait is part of a group show in San Francisco’s Mission District and can be seen at the restaurant Puerto Alegre. The show is titled “El Color y El Dolor: A Frida Inspired Art Show,” and it opened less than a month ago but will be on view for another month.
Nice work, Ruben! Can’t wait to see your next creation.
