Okay, I apologize for the obsessive alliteration in my title, but the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art actually was fabulous and it’s only there until May 18th so you better run quick!
The paintings were, of course, spectacular (it was especially great to see Kahlo’s The Frame in real life because it has two layers — the painting and a frame of glass — that give the painting an effect and look impossible to see in these 2D renditions). But most exciting for me were the personal photographs of Frida Kahlo and her husband Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. The expression Frida makes in these photos — straight and stoic — is similar to the face she makes in most of her self-portraits.
“These photographs—several of which Kahlo inscribed with dedications, effaced with self-deprecating marks, or kissed, leaving a lipstick trace—pose fascinating questions about an artist who was both the consummate manufacturer of her own image and a captivating and willing photographic subject.”
The exhibit and museum aren’t cheap (you’ve got to buy tickets both to the museum & special timed tickets for the Frida exhibit itself), but if you do it right you can save a few bucks. Check out the Frida Kahlo ticketing page for information on special times when tickets are cheaper (also cheaper for students). And remember that on Sundays the museum entrance fee itself is waived for a “pay as you can” fee. There are also to Diego murals in the museum and a “Frida in Context” exhibit showing some of the painting styles that influenced Frida. Also, make sure to take advantage of the free audio tour handed to you on the way in to see the Frida paintings & photos!
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