About the Artwork

This artwork forms part of Under the Surface, a collection in which ALCAM explores the duality between external identity and the emotional worlds hidden beneath it. Frida Kahlo, whose art is inseparable from her lived experience, becomes an ideal subject for this dialogue between inner life and outward expression.

The piece begins with a realistic oil portrait, where ALCAM focuses on the intensity of Frida’s gaze, the structure of her features, and the quiet determination that defines her presence. The goal is not hyperrealism, but a precise depiction of her identity, the visible layer.

Over this foundation, the artist adds a second layer painted in acrylic: a neo-expressionist interpretation that channels the emotional turbulence, symbolic richness and raw honesty that are central to Frida’s work.
Gestural marks, abstract interventions and controlled distortions reshape the portrait without erasing it. Instead, fragments of the oil underpainting re-emerge, acting as reminders of the woman beneath the icon.

This interaction between the two layers reflects the central premise of the collection:
the truth of a person often lies beneath the surface, in the tension between what is shown and what is lived.

The result is a portrait that transcends representation. It invites the viewer into the emotional universe behind Frida’s image, evoking themes of resilience, vulnerability and identity that continue to resonate across time.

Materials & Techniques

The artwork is constructed through a layered process that mirrors the conceptual framework of the collection.

First layer – Oil (Realistic Portrait)
Alcam paints a realistic portrait of Frida Kahlo in oil, emphasising facial structure, nuance and emotional presence. The painting does not aim for strict hyperrealism, but for a truthful and grounded representation of her identity.

Second layer – Acrylic (Neo-Expressionist Interpretation)
On top of the oil portrait, ALCAM paints a second version in acrylic. This layer draws inspiration from neo-expressionism, allowing the artist to break, disrupt and emotionally reinterpret the figure through gestural brushwork, symbolic marks and expressive rhythms.
The acrylic layer partially reveals the oil beneath, creating a visual tension that mirrors the interplay between Frida’s public persona and her internal world.

The final piece embodies the fusion of two artistic languages: realism and emotion, form and gesture, surface and depth.