Coyoacán

“I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.” Frida Kahlo

Artist statement

“The works in this series are inspired by a recent trip to Mexico where I visited Frida Kahlo’s Blue House in Coyoacán, Mexico City. The Blue House was the birthplace of Frida Kahlo and is also the home where she grew up and lived with her husband Diego Rivera. The house is decorated with Kahlo and Rivera’s belongings and artworks. Kahlo’s self-portraits line the walls of the house, which is built around a courtyard overflowing with beautiful tropical plants. In my home in Tasmania where I live with my partner, our dog, cat and three chooks, I am slowly creating an indoor jungle in some ways reminiscent of Kahlo’s plant-filled courtyard. I gain inspiration from the patterns found in the plants that I am surrounded by and from books on botany and zoology. Kahlo’s portraits capture her personality, tell a story and at the same time exhibit a distinctive decorative quality. I strive to bring my self-portraits and the animals to life, imbuing each with aspects of my own personality. I aspire to create something honest and something beautiful.” Ella Noonan, 2016