11:25 (Carma III) is a work laden with symbols, Frida Kahlo’s mind portrayed as a fertile intellectual landscape. Kahlo existed in a decidedly adjacent genre to that of the Surrealists, having been aware of the writings of André Breton, but never fully adhering to the label of his Parisian group. Belonging to the output of work Kahlo produced while recovering from an intensive spinal surgery in New York in 1946, the present drawing is reflective of Kahlo’s desire to explore her subconscious using semiotics to express buried desires and repressed thoughts.

The inclusion of the word “carma” and the yin-yang symbol at the center of the illustration reflect Kahlo’s fascination with Eastern spirituality. The sun and moon, like the yin-yang, evoke her exploration of dualities and their coexistence. Meanwhile, the disembodied hand, breasts, and lips may express both her emotional and physical suffering, echoing Freudian ideas about the connection between the body and the unconscious mind.