Frida Kahlo's upbringing played a pivotal role in her art. She faced numerous health challenges from childhood, including polio, which shaped her perspective and infused her work with themes of pain and identity. Growing up in a mixed cultural environment in Mexico, she was influenced by Mexican folk art and the political landscape around her. Kahlo's tumultuous relationship with artist Diego Rivera also informed her artistic expression, as she often explored concepts of self-portraiture, feminism, and personal narrative in her paintings.