An unknown and revealing side of Mexican modern artist Frida Kahlo’s personal life is being shown for the first time in the United States through a collection of exclusive photographs hidden from the public since the artist’s death in 1954.
The exclusive photography exhibition, named “Frida Kahlo: Her Photos“, was inaugurated on February 23 and will go through March 25, 2012 at Artisphere – the first and only venue in the United States to present this exhibition. During closing week, the Artisphere will be open weekdays from 4pm-11pm, Saturday 12 noon-11 pm and Sunday 12 noon-8 pm.
A selection of 240 photographs, chosen by Mexican photographer and curator Pablo Ortiz Monasterio, include family pictures, snapshots taken with lovers, as well as images that reveal relationships with Russian Marxist revolutionary Leon Trotsky and American photographers Edward Weston, Alfred Stieglitz, artist Georgia O’Keefe and actress Dolores del Rio. Monasterio arranged the photographs into six thematic areas that align with periods in Kahlo’s life: The Origins, The Blue House, The Broken Body, Loves, Photography and Diego’s Eye. The selected photographs are part of more than 6,500 personal photographs and items belonging to Kahlo and her husband and artist Diego Rivera that were sealed and hidden from the public for more than a half a century. A sample of the photographs is available on MexicoToday’s official Flickr page: www.flickr.com/mexicotoday.
The collection of photographs in this exhibit reflect Kahlo’s tastes and interests, the experiences she shared with those close to her, and her complicated, but also thrilling, personal life. Visitors are able to get an intimate look into the personal life of Frida Kahlo, through original annotated writing found on the back of many of the photographs. To this end, the Artisphere exhibit provides special magnifying glasses so the viewer can take in every last detail. Alejandra de la Paz of the Mexican Cultural Institute has stated in regards to the breakthrough exhibit, “This amazing selection of photos provides an exciting and rare opportunity to get a personal glimpse into one of Mexico’s most internationally renowned artists.”
This exhibition is produced in collaboration with the Frida Kahlo Museum, The Embassy of Mexico, the Mexican Cultural Institute, and Arlington County, with additional support from the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (Rosslyn BID). The exhibition was initially facilitated by the Arlington Sister City Association.