5 WAYS TO EXPLORE FRIDA KAHLO’S LEGACY
Is there anyone who isn’t a fan of Frida Kahlo? The iconic Mexican artist has seized the public imagination so thoroughly, today you can find everything from museum exhibits to puzzles, books, dolls, totes and even socks inspired by her. Here are five cool ways to explore that legacy.
1Check out the de Young exhibit
The reopening of San Francisco’s de Young Museum this fall means that the longawaited “Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving” has opened at last. The exhibit, which includes paintings, photographs, clothing and other personal items, runs through Feb. 7. Timed tickets must be reserved ahead of time and capacity is limited. Find details at deyoung.famsf.org.
2Check it out virtually
The de Young’s Virtual Wednesdays series on the museum’s Youtube channel includes an author event on Nov. 18 featuring Celia Stahr and her book “Frida in America” (St. Martin’s Press, $30). The book traces the three years Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera, spent in the United States and the impact it had on her art. Read the book beforehand and submit questions ahead of time to publicprograms@ famsf.org; deyoung.famsf.org/ virtual-wednesdays.
3Make an art journal
Imagine an art project in book form, a collage-meetsjournal love child. That’s an art journal — and inside those pages, anything goes. You can recount travel memories, explore life paths or take a page or two from mixed media artist Jesse Petersen, who used an art journal to pay homage to Kahlo. Check out her tutorial and download the free Frida Kahlo outline template at www.letsmakeart.com/ pages/frida- collage-artjournaling-project.
4Virtually tour Casa Azul
You can’t visit Mexico City right now, of course, but Google Arts & Culture — artsandculture.google.com — can whisk you away to Casa Azul virtually. Stroll the courtyard of Frida Kahlo’s vivid blue house, wander inside her home, check out the decor and peek at her paints and easel, all with a click of the mouse.
5Read more
Kahlo has been the subject of scores of books — about her life, her art and her marriage. One fun one to check out is “Women in Art: 50 Fearless Creatives Who Inspired the World” (Ten Speed Press, $17) by Rachel Ignotofsky. It’s aimed at middle schoolers and teens, but its charming illustrations, movement timelines and discussions of fascinating artists and museum representation should delight and enlighten adults, as well.