Past Exhibition Ran from 16 June 2018 to 18 November 2018

Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up

A fresh perspective on Kahlo's compelling life story through her most intimate personal belongings

an extraordinary testimony to suffering and spirit ★★★★★

The Observer

This exhibition is now closed at V&A South Kensington

This exhibition presented an extraordinary collection of personal artefacts and clothing belonging to the iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Locked away for 50 years after her death, this was the first exhibition of this collection outside Mexico.

Exhibition Trailer

Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up trailer

Grosvenor Britain & Ireland is delighted to partner with the V&A as lead sponsor of 'Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up'. Grosvenor creates and manages high quality neighbourhoods that are great places to live, work and visit. The diverse property development, management and investment portfolio includes the fashionable districts of Mayfair & Belgravia. Grosvenor has a 20-year vision to make its London estate more active, flexible, open and appealing to all, with better streets, greener spaces and enterprising places.

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Exhibition Highlights

Cotton huipil with machine-embroidered chain stitch; printed cotton skirt with embroidery and holán (ruffle).
Detail of cotton huipil with chain stitch embroidery, Museo Frida Kahlo. Photograph: Javier Hinojosa. Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Archives, Banco de México, Fiduciary of the Trust of the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Museums.
Frida Kahlo in blue satin blouse, 1939, photograph by Nickolas Muray © Nickolas Muray Photo Archives.
Detail of satin skirt with chain stitch and floral motif embroidery. Museo Frida Kahlo. Photograph: Javier Hinojosa. Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Archives, Banco de México, Fiduciary of the Trust of the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Museums.
Frida Kahlo, c. 1926. On verso: 'April 1929, July. To Diego. Frieda.' Image courtesy of Museo Frida Kahlo. © Diego Riviera and Frida Kahlo Archives, Banco de México, Fiduciary of the Trust of the Diego Riviera and Frida Kahlo Museums. .
Guatemalan cotton coat worn with Mazatec huipil and plain floor-length skirt. Museo Frida Kahlo © Diego Riviera and Frida Kahlo Archives, Banco de México, Fiduciary of the Trust of the Diego Riviera and Frida Kahlo Museums .
Frida Kahlo with Olmec figurine, 1939 © Nickolas Muray Photo Archives.
Revlon compact and powderpuff with blusher in 'Clear Red'; Seal-fast nail varnish top coat; Lastron nail varnishes in 'Frosted Snow Pink' and 'Frosted Pink Lightening'; lipstick in 'Everything's Rosy'. Before 1954. Photographs: Javier Hinojosa. Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Archives, Banco de México, Fiduciary of the Trust of the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Museums.
Prosthetic leg with leather boot. Appliquéd silk with embroidered Chinese motifs. Museo Frida Kahlo. © Diego Riviera and Frida Kahlo Archives, Banco de México, Fiduciary of the Trust of the Diego Riviera and Frida Kahlo Museums .
Plaster corset, painted and decorated by Frida Kahlo, Museo Frida Kahlo. © Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Archives, Banco de México, Fiduciary of the Trust of the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Museums.
Self-portrait on the Border between Mexico and the United States of America, Frida Kahlo, 1932. © Modern Art International Foundation (Courtesy María and Manuel Reyero).
Self-portrait with red and gold dress, Frida Kahlo, 1941. Courtesy of Gerardo Suter and The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of the 20th Century Mexican Art and the Vergel Foundation © 2018 Banco de México, Fiduciary of the Trust of the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Museums.

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Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up
With support from

ART MENTOR FOUNDATION LUCERNE

With thanks to

Copyright ©2018 Banco de México, fiduciary of the Trust of the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Museums, Av. 5 de Mayo no. 2, Col. Centro, Del. Cuauhtémoc, CP 06000, Mexico

Background image: Frida Kahlo with Olmec figurine, 1939. © Nickolas Muray Photo Archives