"Frida Kahlo - Her photos" opens today at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern in Stockholm
04 May 2023
Frida Kahlo had a strong interest in photography because her father and grandfather were both photographers. Throughout her life, she gathered a variety of images, including portraits of herself, pictures of her loved ones, and photos that she had altered in some way, such as painting or adding lipstick smudges. The artist's difficult and turbulent personal life is reflected in the collection.
Although photography was important to Frida Kahlo, the majority of the collection was kept from the general public for many years. When Frida Kahlo passed away in 1954, her husband Diego Rivera gave her home, known as "La Casa Azul," or the Blue House, to the Mexican people so they could turn it into a museum dedicated to her life and work.
Diego gave the museum a lot of Frida Kahlo's artwork and possessions, but he insisted that some be kept out of sight. For more than 50 years, this secret collection of more than 6,000 photos, a few sketches, letters, prescription drugs, and clothing items was kept inaccessible. One of La Casa Azul's bathrooms was selected as a barrier against the animal grabbers, giving it an almost mystical feel.
The concealed archive wasn't revealed until 2003, when Pablo Ortiz Monasterio, a renowned Mexican photographer and historian, organized this exhibition using a selection of the discovered images. In the exhibition Frida Kahlo - Her Photos, 241 never-before-seen images representing various stages of her life are on display.
2009 saw the opening of the exhibition in Mexico City. Since then, it has drawn about a million people from 20 cities across the globe.
For logistic info and details about the exhibition + related events click the link below.
