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Two sides Topsy-Turvy

The duality of Frida

By Genevieve JordanPublished 3 years ago 2 min read
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Turning Topsy Turvy

My passion for my project stems back to my childhood. I owned a Topsy Turvy Doll which had been sewn by my Grammie. One side of the doll was little red riding hood, the other side her Grandmother. Lurking behind the Grandmother’s bonnet was a sinister bad wolf. I admit I was obsessed. Turning the doll over and over only to surprise myself each time with the wolf when I pulled back the bonnet to reveal the snarling wolf. Was is a warning of danger? Were the Grandmother and Red Riding Hood never truly safe? What ever the meaning it was visual story telling the ignited my love for dolls and sewing.

I’ve recently become obsessed with Frida Kahlo, her life, struggles and fight to remain true to herself through art. For many years I have loved the art and culture of el Día de los Muertos, the tradition of welcoming back the dead. When I thought about Frida and her zest for life in spite of continuously experiencing both physical and emotional pain, to me she appeared to live in duality just like the Topsy Turvy doll. One side an impassioned creative powerful artist, the other side a pained artist, near death sometimes taunting and welcoming death.

I wanted to create a multifaceted representation of Frida Kahlo. She was an artist strong and true to her craft and passion for painting while surrounded by artifacts representing her love of her Mexican culture. I painted a watercolor of Frida, then I painted a mirrored version of Frida as La Calavera Catrina, inspired by an etching by the Mexican printmaker, José Guadalupe Posada. An image of La Calavera Catrina also appeared in Diego Rivera's mural depicting famous people and events in the history of Mexico. Fittingly, in his mural, Frida was painted next to La Calavera Catrina. In my Topsy Turvy doll the two become one.

After painting the two images, Frida and Frida as La Calavera Catrina I photographed them and printed them on fabric. I then used scissors to cut out the two figures from the printed fabric and to fashion their clothing. Scissors are an extension of my vision as they cut into fabric to shape what I am visualizing and bring it to life.

On the Day of the Dead, it’s believed that the border between the spirit world and the real world dissolve. Symbolically in my Topsy Turvy doll the worlds of Frida in life and Frida in the after life become one.

My Topsy Turvy doll feels to me to be a wonderful representation of the duality of the young and innocent and the long suffering of a fully lived life. It reminds me of the inspiration to create stemming from my love of my Red Riding Hood doll and my love of my Grammie who made it for me!

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About the Creator

Genevieve Jordan

I am an avid sewer. My main approach as a designer couples the use of repurposed and recycled materials with a focus toward environmentally conscious consumerism. I love the hunt for anything vintage to breath a new life into it.

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