Rare of collection of art makes its way to DuPage County

DuPage County residents have the rare chance to see a collection of art that has not been on public display in the U.S. in more than 40 years.

“Frida Kahlo: Timeless” is a comprehensive art exhibit at the College of DuPage’s McAninch Arts Center and Cleve Carney Museum of Art that features 26 original Kahlo paintings and drawings, rare photographs, an historic timeline of the artist’s life and Kahlo-inspired works by local artists.

Born in 1907, Kahlo, a 20th-century Mexican artist, is best known for her self-portraits that highlight politics, sexuality, identity and death. Although her life was oftentimes tumultuous, Kahlo used art as a way to express her feelings. At age 18, Kahlo was left bed-ridden after a bus accident and began painting to cope with the aftermath of the accident. Despite health issues throughout her life, she never stopped creating art until her death in 1954 at the age of 47.

Several of Kahlo’s paintings are controversial because of the intimacy with which she painted. After suffering a miscarriage in 1932, Kahlo’s style of painting changed. She used her paintings and drawings to reveal the most intimate details of her life, developing new graphic imagery instilled with symbolism and meaning.

Kahlo’s personal life included her marriage to muralist Diego Rivera, who discovered Kahlo in her younger years. The couple eventually divorced and then-remarried several years later. Diego was a key supporter of Kahlo’s craft, encouraging her to display her art in Mexico, the U.S. and throughout the world. Kahlo is the first modern Mexican artist to have a painting featured in the Louvre in Paris.

“The work in this collection maps the arc of Frida Kahlo’s exceptional life and career,” said Justin Witte, Cleve Carney Museum of Art curator. “Frida Kahlo and her work were so interconnected that it is impossible to separate one from the other.”

She is also known for her style, which consisted of her iconic eyebrows, flowers in her hair and colorful dresses that landed her the cover photo in Vogue in 1937. Representations of her Tehuana dresses are on display in the historical timeline of the exhibit.

“Frida was very much a person of the people and this intimate, educational showcase brings works never before seen in the Chicago area to DuPage County,” McAninch Arts Center Director Diana Martinez said. “This exhibition is one of kind and is not travelling elsewhere.”

A replica of Kahlo’s house, Casa Azul in Coyoacán, Mexico, is also featured in the exhibit. A family-friendly children’s area encourages children to make and showcase their own self-portraits.

The “Tres Frida” exhibit features Chicago artists, Reveca Torres, Mariam Pare and Tara Ahern. “We are women and artists with disabilities who deeply relate to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo,” Torres said.

The artists recreate notable images of art and history that substitute the subjects with people with disabilities, Torres said.

“We created these images to redress the way mainstream society views disability, to humanize it,” she said. “We want to change perspectives and reveal to everyone who sees our exhibit how differences add value to our communities. We did this to create awareness and inclusivity.”

The exhibit was originally scheduled to open in 2020, but was delayed because of COVID-19 restrictions. Since its opening June 5, about 10,000 patrons have come through the exhibit.

“Frida Kahlo: Timeless” is open every day and runs through Sept. 6. For more information, including exhibit hours and to buy tickets, visit https://www.atthemac.org/event...