Author Sharon Upp

Interview with Sharon Upp about her book, "House on the Bridge: Ten turbulent years with Diego Rivera"

Q: Sharon, what drew you to the life of Diego Rivera and in particular to Angeline?

S: When I was attending school at the Universidad Ibero-Americana in Mexico I went often to Frida Kahlo's house in Coyoacan, which is in the same colonia where I lived.  It was when I was researching Frida Kahlo that I came across the memoirs of Angeline Beloff.  I was so captivated with her story that I began entertaining  the idea of writing about her.

Q: Why did you choose to write about Diego and Angeline from a fictional perspective, why not factual?

 S: While most of it is factual I decided to make it fictional  so it could be more personal than a straight forward biography. Fiction is more malleable because accuracy isn't as essential. Plus, to add conversations, it had to be fiction because I wasn't present in their lives.

Q: Who are the Americans that became Angeline's friends?

S: The Americans are brought in to illustrate the importance of friendship; particularly the friendships that women form to help one another through life's challenges. I felt she needed a means to deal with the hardships she faced and also to illustrate the fact that she seemed to me to be on the "hero's journey". Vedanta is one of the world's oldest philosophical systems. It's a great springboard for focusing attention on the habits of the mind and how the journey is ultimately about how one faces oneself.  The salon is patterned after the Vedanta groups I attended for years.

Q: How did you decide on the tone of the language?

S: That was a challenge.  The language changed considerably.  Early on, I tried to write dialog for Diego that was "intellectual" because of his saying how attracted he was to philosophy.  It sounded very awkward and pseudo-intellectual.  He actually referred to himself in his twenties as kitschy and ridiculous, pronouncing Kierkegaard to the open sea, or something to that effect. In the end, I picked up Hemingway who was in Paris around the same time, a little later, perhaps 1916 or 1917 and read the language he wrote and noticed that it actually was quite modern.

Q: You wrote that Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani and other artists of that time tutored Angeline, was this true?

S: She studied with Matisse when she first arrived. But she left the convent where he taught because fauvism was not a style she could learn and feel comfortable with.  Picasso and  Modigliani were friends of hers who visited fairly often.

Q: Why was it more important to you to write from the perspective of Angeline than that of Diego?

S: I simply felt drawn to her.  I liked her and wanted to tell her side of the story.  Everything I ever read about her said she was his common-law wife.  Her biography said they were married.  She was known as a genuine and reliable person so I believed her.  He was called a mythomaniac by some. He was not considered particularly honest.

Q: There was a recent article in the LA Times about the George Pompidou center exhibition "elles@centrepompidou," which features hundreds of works by only female artists. Suzanne Muchnic wrote the article, "It's the year of the women".  That article along with your book speaks about the same period in history and in particular about Maria Blanchard. It seems almost ironic that your book and this exhibit came out around the same time.  What can you tell me about that?

S: I'm very pleased to see the focus on the women who were also very talented and hard-working.  Much has been written about the men.  The work of the men has been admired for a long time.  Now it's time to appreciate the women.

 At that point in time, and even now, in some cases, the men were completely free to come and go; paint all day and all night, whereas Angeline cooked and cleaned and took care of their son before she could dedicate herself to her work.  She was equally devoted to art but far less narcissistic in the way she behaved, compared to Diego.

It was more difficult for the women to be accepted by the salons even though they studied and worked alongside the men.  It took great dedication and perseverance.  Angeline and Maria had to paint.  In Angeline's case, she had to engrave; it was in her and that she could not deny.  That was no different from Picasso or any other man of her time.

Q: Will you go back to Paris to see the exhibit?

S: Yes, I absolutely intend to return. I remember when the Pompidou center first opened and the French press was interviewing people out front. They asked me what I thought.  I was speechless.  Yes, the architecture was/is incongruous but I loved the contents of the building. It's wonderful that Women in the Arts is a show that is taking place in Paris and I hope it is auspicious for the book.  After all, "House on the Bridge" is very specifically about women in the early 20th century struggling to be seen.  It's also a bit of a tour of the city which has long attracted those who love to produce art and those who are there to enjoy it.

Q: What was Paris like when you first arrived?

S: So fascinating.  I stopped to visit a friend and I fell in love with Paris.  It was none of the things I had been told.  It wasn't expensive or unfriendly.  The people in my hotel were quite charming and caring.  I remember their calling me to come down for breakfast when I wasn't downstairs by 10 a.m.  At the time everyone I met seemed to be getting a PhD in Marxist philosophy.  Today, one doesn't hear much at all about Marx.  I loved that I could walk in any direction and stumble upon some unexpected treasure.  I still do that.

Q: You mentioned an apartment.  Is that what you usually do, rent an apartment?

S: Yes, I rent an apartment for as long as I can stay.  That way, I can have a coffee in the morning; walk in the afternoon; return for a rest and play the music I've found while wandering in and out of shops.

Q: Any advice for traveling to Paris?

S: Yes, rent an apartment.  Get off the beaten path; walk in any direction. (I mean within the heart of the city.) Pick up the books by Thirza Vallois and read the history.  Go to Shakespeare and Co. where they have work in English.  Besides, they're practically across the street from Notre Dame.  I always start at Notre Dame and then wander through Ile Saint Louis.  From there, cross the bridge and head to the fourth. You almost can't go wrong.  Everywhere there is history. Take a water taxi.  The bateau bus goes up and down the Seine and you can get on and off which I love.

Q: Should people read your book before going?

S: Of course! I hope it's a vivid introduction or a welcome reminder.