One of the most eagerly awaited collections is coming to Madrid. From 7 May to 30 November, the Fundación Casa de México in Spain will be home to a selection of 31 original works and 91 photographs of Frida Kahlo, one of the most famous Mexican artists in the world. An exhibition centred on the artist and her work, not on her persona.
The exhibition explores the Mexican painter's complex artistic production, as well as her human facet. A woman who has contributed to the history of painting in two fundamental aspects: the construction of Mexican nationalism and the portrait of the female body. By exploring her biographical context and most intimate aspects, visitors, besides enjoying the aesthetic facet, can gain a better understanding of the historical moment in time when she was creating her work.
The exhibition features original works from two private collections, including the Dolores Olmedo Museum in Mexico, and ten of her most famous self-portraits, including The Broken Column, Diego and I, Self-portrait with Monkey, My nurse and I, Henry Ford Hospital. It also includes a series of videos and photographs by renowned Mexican photographer Manuel Álvarez Bravo, and an installation with pages from her diary.
A unique opportunity to enjoy her art and identify two important moments during Frida Kahlo's life and career (Coyoacan, Mexico City, Mexico, 1907 - 1954). The first, in which she portrays friends, family and acquaintances, influenced by the European tradition and the artistic movements of the time. And the second, following her marriage to Diego Rivera in 1929, when she incorporated Mexican elements into her paintings.
Four exhibition rooms that offer visitors the opportunity to discover more about an artist who managed to convey themes that are still relevant today: pain, death, women's advocacy, gender-based violence, relationships, motherhood, the human body, nature, pre-Hispanic heritage, and what it is to be Mexican.
Visitors will also be able to hear narrated explanations of some of the works on display, which they can download using QR codes. The Fundación Casa de Mexico in Spain is marking a major milestone by showing a second individual exhibition of work by an artist who is part of Mexico's heritage, the first being Diego Rivera: Universal Artist, in 2019. All the money raised through ticket sales to this exhibition will be donated to a scholarship programme for Mexican higher education students to carry out postgraduate studies.
