This month the Appt Store will be launching a new set of 160 emojis inspired by the self-portraits of artist Frida Kahlo. These “FridaMoji”s were created by Sam Cantor, a gallerist and graphic designer based in Los Angeles. Cantor cites Kahlo’s honest display of emotion through her work as the perfect fit for this project. Along with Kahlo, Cantor received requests for emojis of other artists including Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Yayoi Kusama, and Vincent van Gogh. After releasing all on Instagram, it was the Kahlo images that stood out as the most successful. The Frida Kahlo corporation found the project especially appealing as it was a way to connect with millennials and centennials. Using iconic paintings as reference, Cantor studied Kahlo’s aesthetic to make sure that he was capturing the depth of her work and identity; so that she wasn’t just shown as a 2 dimensional character with a unibrow and flower crown. This project is yet another example of how Frida Kahlo’s striking images continue to resonate with each new generation. See the Frida Kahlo Print Collection.
