A tremendous Mexican icon, Frida Kahlo was a famous artist known for her patriotism, social values, feminism, and love for Mexican culture. She is remembered for her self-portraits and bold artwork that accurately represent pain and pleasure.
Life was never easy for the famous artist. Contracting polio at a very young age, Kahlo almost died in a bus accident during her teenage years. Her experiences in life, her feelings, and her turbulent relationship with her husband all have a special place on the canvas.
Laying on the hospital bed, Kahlo began to paint. Her self-portraits were a representation of what she was going through. Frida had always drawn portraits for herself. She never thought it would appeal to the masses. Yet, her exhibitions continue to date that showcase the remarkable efforts of the painter. You can learn more about her exhibitions here:
Frida’s first solo exhibition in New York
For the first time, that artwork by Frida Kahlo was exhibited at the Julien Levy Gallery in 1938 in New York. This was when she was recognized as an artist, something more than just a wife of Rivera. The exhibition was a great success as half of the showcased paintings of Kahlo were sold.
Renou et Colle Gallery in Paris
Kahlo’s struggle was never-ending. It was at several exhibitions that none of her paintings would sell. Also, drawings by Frida Kahlo were not consumed in the way she wanted them to be. For instance, at the exhibition at Renou et Colle Gallery in Paris, Kahlo stood quietly at an end, observing the commotion that was going on. Kahlo wanted people to understand the feelings that she was trying to express via her work.
The Museum of Contemporary Art
Kahlo’s first solo exhibition in the United States of America took place in 1978 and showcased famous drawings by Frida Kahlo at The Museum of Contemporary Art. The artists that participated along with Kahlo all had similar ideologies against patriarchy. The exhibition showcases themes of human suffering, gender issues, political ideology, and nationalism and its connection to Kahlo’s work.
She was also a part of several collective exhibitions that took place in Mexico. These took place at the Salon, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the Gallery of Mexican Art. So you can say that these were all preparations for her most extensive solo exhibition in Mexico.
First solo exhibition in Mexico
Having had polio since childhood, it was her gangrene in the foot, because of which she was continuously hospitalized during the 1950s. It was in 1953 that Kahlo had her first solo exhibition in Mexico at Galeria de Arte Contemporaneo. She attended her exhibition on a stretcher, and her beautifully decorated bed was ahead of her. Her bed was instead an easel. It had a canopy and a mirror, allowing her to continue making her self-portraits.
Exhibitions after her death
Frida Kahlo- 2010
In 2010, Vienna’s Kunstforum arranged one of the most significant exhibitions showcasing Kahlo’s work. There were about 150 works that were exhibited, including a considerable number of Kahlo’s self-portraits.
Paintings and drawings from the Mexican Collection (2016)
Frida Kahlo had a deep association with the Soviet Union. Artwork by Frida Kahlo describes her interest and dedication to demonstrating communism and social values. Her artwork was showcased in Russia at Fabergé Museum in 2016.
Frida Kahlo: Appearances can be deceiving (2019)
Kahlo’s unique style of art made her a famous aesthetic icon. Drawings by Frida Kahlo represent her cultural understanding, political engagement, health, and various life experiences. The United States showcased her work and belonging at the Brooklyn Museum exhibition, which continued for almost ten years.
Exhibitions to be held
“FRIDA KAHLO. IL CAOS DENTRO” IN TURIN, ITALY (2022)
This exhibition is a sensory form of artistic experience where people will experience Kahlo’s creative and spiritual dimensions of the artwork. People could see drawings by Frida Kahlo and her relationship with Diego Rivera.
The exhibition would begin with a multimedia presentation focusing on Kahlo’s history. It would then focus on Frida’s bedroom, a destination every tourist dreams of visiting. The other floors of the exhibition area are dedicated to her husband and the indigenous Mexican culture. Finally, the last space will cater to a dynamic 10D experience with a particular concentration on sound and animation that the youth and the elderly would love.
“FRIDA KAHLO, BEYOND APPEARANCES, ” PALAIS GALLIERA, FRANCE (2022)
This exhibition invites the public to visit the life of Frida and how her incidents shaped her personality, giving her the courage to break the stereotypes of society. In addition, it is for the first time that France will showcase more than 200 pieces of her belongings from Casa Azul, where she was born.
This also includes Kahlo’s clothes and accessories, along with the artwork by Frida Kahlo. Kahlo’s style has influenced contemporary fashion artists like Alexander McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultie, and artists associated with Dior, Givenchy, and other well-known fashion lines.
“FRIDA KAHLO, PORTRAIT OF A LIFE”: PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION AT MAC OF GIBELLINA, SICILY, ITALY (2022)
June 2022 will exhibit more than 100 real photographs of Kahlo’s life. These are the shots taken by great photographers of Kahlo’s time. It also incorporates the photographs taken by her father, a well-known Mexican photographer. He had captured intimate moments of Frida Kahlo’s life.
Conclusion
The great Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, is known for her artwork showcasing Mexican culture and her experience filled with pain and sorrow. The artist struggled from a very young age, typically because of the problems she faced with her health. She started her art journey by making self-portraits. She made those for herself and never imagined they would appeal to the masses. Yet, it paved the way for several exhibitions that continue to showcase today and shortly.