AIBU to think most people know who Frida Kahlo is?

[morefalafel]

If you saw a picture of Frida Kahlo, you would recognise this person? Or AIBU?

Never heard of her

MarianneM Fri 07-Mar-14 16:20:52
People's ignorance (and indifference!!!) of most things and shockingly poor general knowledge in this country never ceases to take me by surprise.

Sorry, but just because most people haven't heard of some obscure Mexican artist does not mean that they have shockingly poor general knowledge

Love the Dodgeball comment.

Yes had heard of her.

Someone, on a recent MN thread about the trend for huge eyebrows, said that the teens with big fake eyebrows were obviously inspired by Frida Kahlo. I can't help doubting it somehow as I doubt most of them have heard of her.

Not shocking no Nicky but it's equally ridiculous to call her obscure.

Obscure - LOL!

She's more famous for her eyebrows than her art I'd say.

I have a Frida Kahlo doll.

I have neither heard of her or recognise any of her work (which I have just googled). I am not an art person though.
I am more of a history person and often find myself surprised at the lack of historical knowledge people have, things that I think of as well known facts often turn out to be obscure.

People's ignorance (and indifference!!!) of most things and shockingly poor general knowledge in this country never ceases to take me by surprise.

Not to mention their ignorance of English grammar...

Less hairdressing studies and more humanities ??

yes but then i studied art history, though i certainly wouldn't describe her as obscure

No idea, I'm educated to degree level but not in the arts, I have no interest in the arts tbh. I've no reason to know her.

never heard of her

i am educated to degree level

hootloop that's interesting that you separate art and history in that way, because the art contemporary or subsequent to a period or event in history can often form part of the testament to that era/situation

Frida is hardly 'obscure'!

yes, I know - she's very recognisable!

Yes I would know who she is from the name and also from the photo but I must admit I only know her as an artist of some sort with eyebrows and probably a feminist stance - off to google more now

"People's ignorance (and indifference!!!) of most things and shockingly poor general knowledge in this country never ceases to take me by surprise."

That is a bit of a snooty comment. I have heard of her but wouldn't expect more people to know who she was unless they were interested in art. I would expect people to have heard of Picasso or Van Gogh say.

I remember the film, but again I imagine the people who went to see it would have been interested in art or her as a person.

I love her and her art and her fashion sense: I have a couple of outfits inspired by her. My eyebrows are too skinny from years of over-plucking to attempt the signature monobrow though!

Ahh - but Linus Pauling was a scientist and everyone know that they don't really count unless they are on TV.

Several years of watching Pointless five days a week means that I have an unparallelled knowledge of what the average member of the public does and does not know. Frida Kahlo strikes me as a 15%er, tops.

I do not get this thread. morefalafel

Did you want to do a quick poll on the number of respondents to your question would be able to identify Frida Kahlo from the link? Perhaps you (rather belatedly) wanted to promote her name in the public eye, although it seems an odd way to conduct a poll, so perhaps not.

Did you hope to start some sort of meaningful discussion about Frida Kahlo, either as an artist, or in relation to her life, her upbringing, her sexuality, her health, or whatever? I don't think that can be it though, given the brevity of the very few posts you followed up with.

I am sure you did not start it with a view to have us swoon with admiration, as we (quietly and to ourselves) declared "morefalafel is leading a thread about that iconic and influential artist Frida Kahlo. How intellectual and profound!", did you? I used to have a friend that did that all the time.

So where is this leading, morefalafel? Were you bored?

OP,
I think that image IS iconic!
I present this as evidence

Vaguely recognised the name. No idea what she did and defo wouldn't have recognised the pic.

OP, you should have a look on the Balkan War thread on here. Now that is depressing.