An artistic power couple, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera shared a passion for art that stretched far beyond the paint easel. Their worked captured many significant moments in México’s culture and history, and shed light onto their personal lives. They are both considered amongst México’s greatest artists.

Diego Rivera. Most visitors flock to El Palacio Nacional in Mexico City for one reason - to marvel at a major work by of one of México’s most admired artists, Diego Rivera. Entitled Epic of the Mexican People in their Struggle for Freedom and Independence, this mural took 25 years to complete and represents close to 2,000 years of Mexican history.

What amazes me most is the overwhelming size of this masterpiece. It covers one wall, wraps around staircases to the left and right, and continues on to the second level of the building. I had to reposition myself numerous times to see it all, and there’s no way to capture its entirety in one photograph!

Diego’s painting of the feathered serpent deity, Quetzalcoatl, is breathtaking. He illustrated Quetzalcoatl taking on the form of a star, a god, and a human being in order to represent the cycle of life.

My favorite part of the mural, was a portrait of Diego’s wife, Frida Kahlo, found just above his signature on the mural. Here, Frida is seen above her sister, Cristina, as she teaches a young boy. This very small portion of the mural showed how Diego included his personal life in his artwork. In fact, both Diego and Frida were known to portray each other in their paintings.

While this mural serves as a visual record of México’s history, it is also an illustration of Diego’s personal political beliefs. He and Frida were strong supporters of communism; a political system that aims for all people to have equal social and economic status. Diego frequently used his artistic talent to deliver political messages. Diego was a daring artist for tackling controversial topics in his artwork.

Frida Kahlo. The first thing that comes to my mind is when I hear the name Frida Kahlo is suffering. Her paintings drew on her painful medical history, which began in childhood with polio. At age eighteen she was involved in a tragic trolly accident that left her severely injured and altered the rest of her life. While bedridden, she attempted to express her pain though a new hobby -- painting.

Frida began by drawing and doodling on her body cast. When her cast no longer had free space, her father brought an easel specially-crafted for her bed. This was the beginning of a remarkable artistic career.

At Casa Azul (her former home) the kitchen, bedrooms, and studio are perfectly preserved. Walking into the studio she shared with Diego, the room looked as if they still lived there. Pencils are freshly sharpened, paint bottles are half-used, and sketch books are open to their latest ideas.

However, it was Frida’s tiny, upstairs bedroom that I found most powerful. This is the room in which she recuperated after her trolley accident. Here, is where she first discovered her love of painting and spent her final days. On the bed rests her decorated body cast. Having researched the details of her life, I couldn’t help but be moved by that cast -- it was the beginning of her sheer artistic genius.

From outspoken artists to major headlines, let’s talk about the the border and immigration.

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