Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera on View at Denver Art Museum
The exhibition features than 150 artworks exploring the Mexican modernism movement
Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait with Monkeys, 1943. Oil on canvas; 32 x 24.8 in. (81.5 x 63 cm). The Vergel Foundation and MondoMostre in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL). © 2020 Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico, D.F./Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo by Gerardo Suter.
Opening on October 25, 2020 at the Denver Art Musuem, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism will feature more than 150 artworks by internationally celebrated artists Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Lola Alvarez Bravo, Gunther Gerzso, María Izquierdo, Carlos Mérida, and others.
This exhibition will take a closer look at the role art, artists, and their supporters played in the emergence of national identity and creative spirit after the Mexican Revolution ended in 1920.
Frida Kahlo, Diego on my Mind, 1943. Oil on Masonite; 29.9 x 24 in. (76 x 61 cm). The Vergel Foundation and MondoMostre in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL). © 2020 Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico, D.F./Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo by Gerardo Suter.
The exhibition features artworks (20+ by Kahlo), murals and performative culture, and highlights important women artists during this period. Seven of Frida’s self-portraits will be on view in this exhibition, including her 1943 painting titled Diego on my Mind, where she depicts herself wearing a Tehuana dress and reflects on her romantic relationship with Diego, following their short-lived divorce in 1939.
Diego Rivera, Calla Lilly Vendor, 1943. Oil on Masonite; 59.1 x 47.2 in. (150 x 120 cm). The Vergel Foundation and MondoMostre in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL). © 2020 Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico, D.F./Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo by Gerardo Suter.
“With the centennial anniversary of the end of the Mexican Revolution upon us, we look forward to presenting an exhibition that highlights this vital period in history through a variety of artistic mediums,” said Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director at the DAM. “This is the first time we will showcase more than 20 artworks by the famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, which include paintings and drawings.”
María Izquierdo, Bride from Papantla, 1944. Oil on canvas; 49.2 x 38.4 in. (125 x 100 cm). The Vergel Foundation and MondoMostre in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL). © Estate of María Izquierdo. Photo by Gerardo Suter.
Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera are often credited as having played a crucial role in establishing a Mexican avant-garde. Their body of work often incorporated portrayals of mexicanidad, an identity born of Mexico’s ancient cultures and its colonial past that projected a visionary future.
Carlos Mérida, Festival of the Birds, 1959. Polished board; 19.7 x 15.7 in. (50 x 40 cm). The Vergel Foundation and MondoMostre in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL). © 2020 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/SOMAAP, Mexico City. Photo by Gerardo Suter.
Most of the works on view will be from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection. Jacques and Natasha assembled a robust collection of Mexican modernist artworks by collecting primarily from friends, such as Frida and Diego, who completed commissioned paintings for the family.
Nickolas Muray, Frida on White Bench #5, 1939. Carbon print; 40 x 27.3 cm. The Vergel Foundation and MondoMostre in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL). Photo by Nickolas Muray; © Nickolas Muray Photo Archives. Digital Image by Gerardo Suter.
Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism will require a special exhibition ticket. Ticket pricing and availability will be announced soon. The exhibition will include an adult and family audio guide, and an exit shop will feature a variety of objects inspired by the presentation and modernism movement.
