The two paintings that I chose for our second writing assignment are Self-portrait on the Borderline between Mexico and the United States and Model with Unfinished Self-portrait. I chose these two paintings for two reasons. The first reason being that both pieces include people. I thought that might make it easier to compare and contrast the two. The second reason is even though they both have people they each have a totally different feel to them. Self-portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States has an almost confusing feel to it. Kahlo is standing between Mexico and the U.S., and seems lost in and confused about where she belongs. The right side, the U.S., is dominated by industry, and the left, Mexico, is represented by landscape and the Mexican culture. The painting has variety and unity. I think that if I looked at this painting without knowing the title and the intension I would say that this piece has only variety, but because I understand what Kahlo wants to communicate, the variety is unified. Model with Unfinished Self-portrait has a simpler feel to it. It seems to be more peaceful and relaxed. A painting to look at and enjoy, not deciphering the “true” meaning behind it. I think the most confusing part about this piece is the title. Without looking at an outside source to see what the artist looks like, is the model sleeping or is the model sitting at the table. My first guess would be that the model is the one asleep and the artist is the man at the table. The first thing that I noticed about the two is the bright colors that both artists have used. In Self-portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States the pink dress and the bright greens and reds really stand out. The rest of the colors in the painting have a monochromatic harmony using shades of browns and greys. The use of these colors makes the painting