The Springfield Museums proudly present Frida Kahlo, Her Photos, an exhibition that offers an intimate glimpse of the renowned Mexican artist. The exhibition will be on view from June 1 through September 8 at the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts and offers a rare opportunity to gain access to the artist through photographs she took throughout her lifetime.
“The life and artwork of Frida Kahlo continue to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide,” says Heather Haskell-Burns, Vice President and Director of the art museums. “We are thrilled to host this collection of previously unseen images, offering our visitors a deeper insight into Kahlo through her photographic documentation of her personal and artistic journey.”
“This is an incredible opportunity for visitors to view the personal photographic collection of one of the great artists of the 20th century and learn about her fascinating life story – one that inspired the moving and memorable work that Kahlo is known for today,” adds Curator of Art Kris Ludwig.
Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is recognized for her self-portraits that blend realism with fantasy. Her distinctive naïve folk-art style explores themes of identity, postcolonialism, gender, class, and race in Mexican society. Although Kahlo remained relatively unknown until the late 1970s, her work has been rediscovered by art historians and political activists, making her a symbol of Mexican national and Indigenous traditions, as well as a powerful voice for the female experience.
Frida Kahlo, Her Photos displays a collection of images from a secret archive hidden at her residence, La Casa Azul (now Museo Frida Kahlo), for over five decades. Curated by Mexican photographer and photo historian, Pablo Ortiz Monasterio, the exhibition features more than 200 images that illuminate Kahlo’s artistry, her life, and her deep connection to Mexico.
The exhibition is divided into six sections – The Origins; The Blue House; Politics, Revolutions and Diego; Her Broken Body; Frida’s Loves; and Photography. While many of the photographs were taken by Kahlo herself, others were captured by creative luminaries and friends, including Man Ray, Martin Munkácsi, Edward Weston, Brassaï, Tina Modotti, Pierre Verger, and Lola and Manuel Álvarez Bravo. Some images have red lipstick kisses, while others are trimmed, folded, or inscribed with personal notations. The resulting exhibition presents a compelling story of the artist, her origins, relationships, battles with health, political views, and the significant role photography played in her life and work.
Frida Kahlo, Her Photos is organized by the Frida Kahlo Museum – Casa Azul/Diego Rivera Museum; and Bank of Mexico, Fiduciary in the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Museum Trust.
The exhibition is sponsored locally by Excel Dryer, Raymond James of Springfield MA, and the Sachdev Family; and presented in collaboration with Mi Museo Committee. MassMutual is the season sponsor of the Springfield Museums.
Image above: Frida Kahlo in New York, United States, by Nickolas Muray, 1946.