Frida: Beyond the Myth, opened at Dallas Museum of Art Aug. 18, and showcases approximately 60 works by Frida Kahlo and her contemporaries. The exhibit offers a unique opportunity to explore the life of one of the most revered artists of the 20th century. It allows us to take a deep dive into the defining moments of her life, as depicted through her self-portraits, still life paintings, and key biographical drawings. Frida’s soulful beauty is also captured in photographs by friends and fellow artists who knew her best.
Co-curated by Dr. Agustín Arteaga, the DMA’s Eugene McDermott Director, and Sue Canterbury, the Museum’s Pauline Gill Sullivan Curator of American Art, the exhibition is on view at the DMA through November 17. Frida: Beyond the Myth is organized by the Dallas Museum of Art and is presented by Texas Instruments (TI).
“The mark of a great artist is their ability to translate into art what’s in their hearts and souls, so that others may understand; Frida Kahlo is a great example of this,” said Andy Smith, executive director of the TI Foundation and TI director of giving and volunteering. “She was a brilliant artist whose themes around identity are still influential today. We are honored to sponsor this exhibition of Kahlo’s works so that others can learn from how she expressed her reality and apply it to their own self-discovery. This is yet another example of groundbreaking exhibitions that the Dallas Museum of Art is bringing to our city, continuing to build their and Dallas’ reputation around the world.”
Frida: Beyond the Myth
original painted shell frame, private collection, courtesy Galería Arvil,
México. © 2024 Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums
Trust, Mexico, D.F. / Artists Rights Society (ARS). New York
Despite her position as one of the most documented artists of the 20th century, Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) remains an elusive figure. Clouded by a mythology that focuses on her significant personal challenges: her relationships, her injuries and many surgeries, and the lifelong pain she endured over her short life. Even the works she created—which expressed her emotive responses to these powerful events—hinder our understanding of Kahlo as an individual. Through the lens of Kahlo’s family, friends, lovers and fellow artists who captured different aspects of her life and personality, we are granted additional perspectives on the woman behind the myth.
“Frida Kahlo has always received a warm welcome at the DMA. From our 2017 blockbuster exhibition Mexico: 1900-1950 to the more focused presentation of five of her works that we exhibited three years ago, audiences flocked to the Museum to behold the work of this cultural icon,” said Arteaga. “Though Kahlo is beloved for her vibrant and emotional paintings, there is still much to learn about who she was as a person. Through this exhibition, we hope to peel back some of the layers to reveal more about the individual who continues to captivate audiences here and around the world.”
private collection. © 2024 Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo
Museums Trust, Mexico, D.F. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Frida: Beyond the Myth brings together a selection of nearly 30 of the artist’s paintings, drawings and prints, embedded with symbolic representations of her emotional state at various points in her life. These self-portraits and still life paintings are complemented by prints and photographs of Kahlo by those closest to her. Photos by Diego Rivera, Nickolas Muray, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Lola Álvarez Bravo, Julien Levy, and more are featured.
Photographs of Frida through the years
These works offer a closer examination of the events that shaped Kahlo’s life and how she responded to them. They are presented chronologically from her early childhood in Mexico, to her tumultuous marriage to Diego Rivera, her blossoming career between Mexico and the United States, and her difficult final years. They show the devastating injuries, illnesses, and chronic pain she suffered most of her life. My favorite was the photo of four-year-old Frida as a happy child with a flower in her hair, taken by her father.
“Frida Kahlo was incredibly self-aware, carefully constructing the persona that she uses to represent herself in her artworks. Through this persistent self-fashioning, Kahlo was, in essence, the architect of her own myth—a myth that she was ultimately devoured by,” said Canterbury. “It is only through the eyes of those around her that we are able to get closer to who she really was, seeing her as she was seen and not only as she saw herself.”
Exhibition tickets for Frida: Beyond the Myth are available at dma.org for $20. Guests can make their visit an even more special experience by combining their ticket with specialty bites and a beverage from the DMA Café, a $35 package. Guests will have the choice of Horchata or a Paloma, and churros or elotes (savory Mexican street corn) with purchase. The DMA Café is open Wed.-Sun. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The DMA Store will feature Kahlo-inspired merchandise throughout the run of the show, with unique wares direct from Mexican artisans.
Dallas Museum of Art (DMA)
An inclusive, welcoming space for everyone to see, the DMA’s global collection of more than 25,000 works spans 5,000 years of history and a range of world cultures. The DMA is one of the largest art museums in the United States and is located in one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country, with free general admission for all visitors.
Information about several upcoming events for DMA visitors, like Brunch at the Museum, Jazz at the Museum, and After Hours at the Museum, is available at dma.org. Tickets to the events include food and beverage, music, access to select exhibitions, and more. The DMA provides educational programming for all ages, from exhibitions and lectures to concerts, literary events and dramatic performances. The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and is always open at dma.org.
