Mexican Abuela Sells Hand Designed Frida Dolls on the Street
First the world was introduced to culinary wonder Doña Ángela on Youtube and now there’s another Mexican grandma making a splash on the interweb
Photo: Twitter/LaPollyMolly
First the world was introduced to culinary wonder Doña Ángela on Youtube and now there’s another Mexican grandma making a splash on the interweb. Meet an abuela selling handmade “Friditas” on the street in Mexico City with a sign that reads “No Soy Barbie #soymexico #soyfuerte #soyminifrida,” proving she’s not only a talented artist but also hashtag savvy. Twitter user @LaPollyMolly posted an image of the artisan with her dolls asking for support of local vendors and marking her position on Paseo de la Reforma, CDMX between Glorieta de la Diana y el Ángel de Independencia between noon and 4 p.m.
https://twitter.com/LaPollyMolly/status/1216496914448945152
The doll features Frida Kahlo‘s signature floral crown and her colorful skirt and huipils and of course, the bold brow. One Twitter user did comment that Frida dolls are sold in el centro but there are clear distinctions in the clothing and face so it’s likely she may also be redesigning the dolls to make them her own and boxing each one herself.
https://twitter.com/Psy_Kriz/status/1216558555316146176
This isn’t the first time Frida gets the doll treatment but it IS an authentic representation by a Mexican artisan. It’s that much more significant that she calls out Barbie considering Mattel released a Frida Kahlo doll in 2018 that had Latinx Twitter in an uproar for its “Barbified” looks.
@LaPollyMolly’s call for support of artisans echoed throughout social media with her tweet getting media coverage and support across multiple social platforms. The abuela has a connection with the iconic artist as they’re both from Mexico City (Frida was born in Coyoacán, now considered the historic center) and both have artistic talents. According to the sign, the dolls are made with quality materials from Mexico and promoted as “100% Mexicanas.”
Handmade dolls with Frida’s likeness are not unusual in the U.S., just do a quick search on Etsy and you’ll find plenty of options, some more authentic than others. If you can’t support the artisan abuela, there are other Latinx artisans who honor our beloved Frida including Artesanías Camila and Nahualcalli. With many in the comments asking for ways to get the abuela’s creations shipped to states in the U.S., it’s worth noting other ways to support artisans honoring her image like this entrepreneurial abuela has.
