The DMA’s Latest Buzzy Exhibit is a Remarkably Intimate Look at Frida Kahlo’s Life

To my 7-year-old stepdaughter and her friends, Frida Kahlo is a character they know and adore. She’s on socks, candles, pillows, and thermoses. She’s a Halloween costume for some, a pretty doll on the shelf for others. When asked who Kahlo is, their answers range from “a great artist” and “a role model for girls” to “the lady with the eyebrow.” And while we’ll never know if Kahlo would have enjoyed her commercial commodification, it’s clear that Fridamania has taken on a life of its own — one that’s far removed from the multifaceted one led by the artist. “She’s an idol that everyone loves,” shares Dr. Agustín Arteaga, the Dallas Museum of Art’s Eugene McDermott Director. “She’s a true representation of resilience, women’s empowerment, and cultural pride. But do we truly know her?”

To answer that question, Arteaga and Sue Canterbury, the Dallas Museum of Art’s Pauline Gill Sullivan Curator of American Art, co-curated “Frida: Beyond the Myth,” an exhibit built from the ground up running from August 18 through November 17, 2024 at the DMA, once the site of a successful Guinness World Record attempt for the most-ever “Fridas” in one place. 

It’s not difficult to put together an exhibit on one of the most revered and documented artists of the 20th century, but the DMA set out to do something far more intimate than a typical Frida showcase. In addition to nearly 30 paintings, drawings, and prints created by Kahlo throughout the years, “Frida: Beyond the Myth” is filled with photographs of the artist taken by those closest to her. Complementing the chronologically plotted exhibit are photos by her father Guillermo Kahlo, her famous muralist husband Diego Rivera, and Kahlo’s on-and-off lover Nickolas Muray, as well as French artist Henri Cartier-Bresson, Mexican photographer Lola Álvarez Bravo, and New York City art dealer Julien Levy. 

“We’re going to be able to walk through her life from those very early days to the time of her death,” shares Arteaga. “We’ll see some extraordinary works that have not been in the public eye for close to 20 years. It’s a really unique opportunity.”

Experiencing “Frida: Beyond the Myth” feels like immersing yourself in a documentary. Leading off with rare photographs of a smiling, 4-year-old Kahlo taken by her father and ending with her final, poignant still lifes, visitors work their way through impactful moments and milestones of the artist’s short but dazzling life. The exhibit touches on the bus accident that impaled a young Frida, her complicated marriage to Diego Rivera, her abortions, her love affairs, her influential Mexican attire, and her experience with the American art world. Notable works include “My Dress Hangs There,” “Sun and Life,” and the controversial “Suicide of Dorothy Hale.” 

Journeying through her life reveals moments of pain, playfulness, intelligence, and hope that get at the beating heart of modern-day Fridamania. I know a handful of 7-year-old girls I can’t wait to bring along.