Frida Rota
ARTIST: Tomas Oliva
HOME: Havana, Cuba
LOCATION: Nashua Library Courtyard
ARTIST STATEMENT:
“Another footprint of the broken life of Frida Kahlo.”
The sculpture shows a broken figure of a woman, as if the image is struggling to emerge from ruin. It is inspired by Frida Kahlo, a Mexican painter who lived from 1907 until 1954. She created striking, often shocking, images that reflected her turbulent life. Her work was mostly oils, including self-portraits and still life and included intense, vibrant colors. The Louvre bought one of her paintings as the first piece of 20th century work of a Mexican artist purchased by the museum. She achieved renown in the 1940s and after her death.
Tomas Oliva was born in Havana, Cuba and it was there where he discovered his love for art. Some of his works include “Frida carrying a marble player” at Andres Institute of Art in Brookline, New Hampshire, “Frida Inquebrantable” in Chile, “Frida India” at Adichunchana Giri in South India and “The Way” a 10 x 8 feet Honduran mahogany door at St. Andrew Church in Sumner Washington. A large body of his work has been done in Cuba as well as the Ukraine, Chile, and the United States. Oliva’s themes are the Homage to Frida Kahlo and The Marble Players.
Since 1987, his work has been inspired by William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 66. His influences also include artists Edvard Munch and Kate Kollwitz. He has been a Visual Arts professor for 22 years. He began teaching at the Academia San Alejandro in Habana, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana de Ciudad México. In 1994, he began teaching at Tacoma Art Museum, Children Museum, Pratt Fine Art Center, Seattle Central Community College, and Olympic College. Tomas currently resides in Washington State. Please refer to his website for more information.
