The artwork “Weeping Coconuts or Coconut Tears” was created by Frida Kahlo in 1951. It is an oil on masonite painting belonging to the Naïve Art movement, specifically Primitivism. The dimensions of the artwork are 23.2 x 30.5 cm, and it falls under the genre of still life. Currently, the artwork is housed at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), located in Los Angeles, California, USA.
The artwork features a vivid display of sliced open coconuts and other fruits, rendered with a rich palette and attention to textural detail. Kahlo’s unique brushwork is evident in the portrayal of the coconuts’ fibrous husks and the gleaming, tear-like drops surrounding them, possibly signifying the work’s title “Coconut Tears”. The interplay of bright and earthy tones creates a contrast that draws the viewer’s eye across the composition. A small flag, inserted into one of the coconuts, bears an inscription which could be an intimate or personal note, hinting at the emotional depth characteristic of Kahlo’s work. The artwork, while a still life, may symbolize deeper themes of fertility, life, and loss, encapsulating the complexity of the human experience that Kahlo frequently explored in her art.
