<p><strong>Nickolas Muray</strong> <em>Frida Kahlo on Bench #5</em> 1939. The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of 20th Century Mexican Art and the Vergel Foundation. &copy; Nickolas Muray Photo Archives&nbsp;</p>

Nickolas Muray Frida Kahlo on Bench #5 1939. The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of 20th Century Mexican Art and the Vergel Foundation. © Nickolas Muray Photo Archives 

Wednesday 21 September 2022

Come face to face with one of the 20th century’s most recognisable cultural icons, Frida Kahlo, in an exhibition exclusive in Aotearoa to Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki – Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Art and Life in Modern Mexico.

Opening Saturday 15 October with a weekend of special events, tickets are on sale now for the exhibition, which reveals the rich histories of modern Mexican art.

Auckland Art Gallery Director Kirsten Lacy is thrilled that Toi o Tāmaki will be presenting the work of a leading female modernist of the early 20th century.

‘Frida Kahlo is an inspiring female icon whose image has come to represent feminine strength and resilience. Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera are recognised for their very distinct contributions to 20th century art. Both the artists, despite possessing completely different styles, became two of Mexico’s most celebrated and inspiring personalities, representing Mexican identity through their work. It’s an enormous privilege to bring the original artworks to Aotearoa,’ says Lacy.

Explore Kahlo’s striking self-portraits and Rivera’s prized easel paintings, alongside more than 150 artworks by leading Mexican artists. Get a glimpse of the chaotic, post-revolutionary world of Kahlo, Rivera and their peers, including artists, photographers, collectors and political figures.

The exhibition includes works by such major figures as muralists David Siqueiros and Rufino Tamayo, and painter María Izquierdo, whose star rivalled Kahlo’s during their lifetimes. Alongside paintings, the exhibition presents an extensive collection of photography, introducing visitors to the innovative work of Lola Álvarez Bravo, Manuel Álvarez Bravo and Nickolas Muray. Also included are authentic Mexican garments and a number of Kahlo’s working drawings. 

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Art and Life in Modern Mexico comprises the Jacques and Natasha Gelman collection, the preeminent private collection of Mexican modernism. Soon after their arrival in Mexico in the early 1940s, the Gelmans began collecting and commissioning art. They established friendships with Kahlo, Rivera and other artists, often commissioning portraits of themselves for the walls of their home.

Auckland Art Gallery curator, Julia Waite says, ‘Both Kahlo and Rivera made post-revolutionary Mexico an exciting centre for fellow painters, as well as poets, philosophers, photographers and writers. The Gelmans were embedded in the scene and their collection represents an important nucleus of Mexican modernism.’

Alongside the exhibition, Auckland Art Gallery has programmed a series of special events, including celebrations on the exhibition’s opening weekend, a lecture series, and ¡Viva México!, an unforgettable night of Mexican food, music, dance and art. Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Art and Life in Modern Mexico is organised by the Vergel Foundation and MondoMostre in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura. The exhibition is proudly supported by Craigs, AUT, Omnigraphics, VIVA and ZM with special thanks to the Auckland Art Gallery Foundation.

Exhibition detail:
Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Art and Life in Modern Mexico

When:
Saturday 15 October 2022 – Sunday 22 January 2023
10am – 5pm daily, except Christmas Day

Where:
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Cnr Kitchener and Wellesley Streets
Auckland, New Zealand

Admission:
Members FREE
Adults $24.50
Children under 12 FREE

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki has organised a lively series of events to support Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Art and Life in Modern Mexico.

 

Opening weekend 

Celebrate the opening of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Art and Life in Modern Mexico with a weekend of Mexican food, music, crafts and art.

Enjoy live mariachi music, the taste of tacos, and make your own Mexican crafts with your friends and whānau. While here, explore the exhibition Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Art and Life in Modern Mexico, where curator, Julia Waite, will be sharing insights to Kahlo, Rivera and the dynamic networks of modern art in Mexico.

Event listing:
Opening weekend of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Art and Life in Modern Mexico

When:
Saturday 15 October 2022 and Sunday 16 October 2022, 10am – 5pm

Where:
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Cnr Kitchener and Wellesley Streets
Auckland, New Zealand

Admission:
Admission to the event is free, however admission charges to the exhibition still apply.

Lecture series: How Frida Kahlo and Mexican Modernism Thrived
<p><strong>Frida Kahlo</strong> <em>Self-Portrait with Monkeys</em> 1943. The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of 20th Century Mexican Art and the Vergel Foundation. Photo by Gerardo Suter</p>

Frida Kahlo Self-Portrait with Monkeys 1943. The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of 20th Century Mexican Art and the Vergel Foundation. Photo by Gerardo Suter

This series of three illustrated talks is presented in person at the Gallery to explore the cultural and artistic foundations of modern art in Mexico and provide context to the phenomenon of Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and their artistic circle. Hear from New Zealand-based Mexican academics, along with a leading expert on expatriatism, and deepen your appreciation of the political and artistic environment in post-Revolution Mexico.

Dr Priscila Pilatowsky Goñi will track the effects of the Mexican Revolution and the construction of mexicanidad – ‘an identity born of Mexico’s pre-Hispanic Indigenous cultures and its colonial past, mixed up with a post-revolutionary, modern, visionary future’. Next, Dr Leonard Bell will reveal the innovative and artistically productive relationships between Mexicans and European and North American refugees fleeing conflicts. Finally, turning to Frida Kahlo herself, Dr Diana Albarrán González will explore how Kahlo used her clothing as a symbol of political and cultural identity. Going beyond Kahlo’s style, Albarrán González sheds light on the richness of Indigenous artisans and Mexican textile traditions.

Tickets cover admission to three lectures and a light morning tea upon arrival. Lunch can be purchased as an add-on.

Event listing:
Lecture series: How Frida Kahlo and Mexican Modernism thrived

When:
Sunday 6 November 2022, 10am – 2pm

Where:
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Cnr Kitchener and Wellesley Streets
Auckland, New Zealand

Admission:
Members: $73
Students: $48
Non-members: $150

¡Viva México!

Join the Gallery for an unforgettable night of Mexican food, music, dance and art to celebrate Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Art and Life in Modern Mexico.

Mexican wine and mezcal bar, La Fuente, will be putting on a feast with their BBQ charro beans, top selections of wines and mezcal tastings. Dance underneath the stars to music performances by a mariachi band, Ollin Yoliztli dance group and a DJ. Exclusive after-hours access to the exhibition, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Art and Life in Modern Mexico is included as part of admission. 

Event listing:
¡Viva México!

When:
Wednesday 23 November 2022, 6–9pm

Where:
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
Cnr Kitchener and Wellesley Streets
Auckland, New Zealand

Admission:
Earlybird pricing: $20 for Members and $45 for non-members. 
Standard pricing after October 1st: $30 Members, $55 non-members. 
Includes admission to Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: Art and Life in Modern Mexico.

For more information, high-res images and interview requests contact: 

Lesl van der Voorn 
Communications Advisor 
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki 

+64 21 548 480
lesl.vandervoorn@aucklandartgallery.com

Media Release
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