Small Group Work on a Portrait—Frida Kahlo

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  1. EVERYONE in the group should write this on his/her own paper.  You will be given a grade for this participation and your group work will be graded as a whole during your presentation (see #5).  Everyone in the group must turn the work in at the end of the presentations.
  1. Carefully study the portrait of Frida Kahlo you were given as a group.  Discuss what you notice about the portrait.
  1. Decide as a group how Frida Kahlo is being portrayed in the portrait.  Try to capture the exact nature of the portrayal in 1-3 words.  Examples:
  • DON’T write:  “In Portrait #1, Marilyn Monroe looks like a happy, glamorous, rich, famous, sophisticated, popular person.
  • INSTEAD, try:  “In Portrait #1, Marilyn Monroe looks like a sophisticated and charming woman.
  • DON’T write:  “In Portrait #2, Marilyn Monroe looks like a seductive, drugged, sexy, sly, poisonous, shifty devil-woman.
  • INSTEAD, try:  “In Portrait #2, Marilyn Monroe is portrayed as a poisonous sex-bomb.

Write your portrayal statement down as a complete sentence on your paper.
  1. Now, PROVE your statement.  Determine WHAT the artist did to portray Kahlo that way.  Pick 4 or more specific details in the portrait (yes, they must be really, really specific).  Say what each detail is and then explain HOW the detail helps portray Kahlo in the way you think she’s portrayed.  All your work should be in complete sentences.  Example:
  • DON’T write:  Monroe’s facial expression shows her seductiveness.  (THIS IS TOO VAGUE!)
  • INSTEAD, try:  The pointed arch of Monroe’s eyebrows suggest that she’s a little evil or up to something she shouldn’t be.

Add all of these ideas to your portrayal statement in an organized paragraph.
  1. Finally, decide who is going to report to the class your ideas about this portrait.  The reporter(s) should talk to the class, not read from a piece of paper.  The “reporting” can be done as a whole group (recommended) or by select group member(s).  All of your group members, however, will stand at the front of the room during the presentation.