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Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up
A fresh perspective on Kahlo's compelling life story through her most intimate personal belongings
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.
This exhibition is now closed at V&A South Kensington
an extraordinary testimony to suffering and spirit ★★★★★
The Observer
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.
Exhibition highlights
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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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Features
Making the Frida Kahlo mannequins
Follow our Conservation Display Specialists on a journey to create the bespoke mannequins featured in the Frida Kahlo exhibition
In conversation: perspectives on Frida Kahlo
Listen to Curator Claire Wilcox and leading art historian Gannit Ankori discuss the exhibition 'Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up'
Making her self up – Frida Kahlo's cosmetics
Claire Wilcox, Senior Curator of Fashion, examines Frida Kahlo's make-up collection
Unlocking Frida Kahlo's wardrobe
Locked away for 50 years, an intimate collection of Frida Kahlo's personal belongings reveals a fresh perspective on this iconic artist
Sew your own: Mexican-style huipil
Sew your own colourful version of the traditional Mexican tunic worn by Frida Kahlo
Photographing Frida Kahlo
Research Assistant Ana Baeza Ruiz explores why photography, not painting, was Kahlo's first means of self-expression
Traditional Mexican dress
Discover the flamboyant styles of indigenous Mexican dress favoured by Frida Kahlo
Mexican embroidery
Discover stunning examples of Mexican embroidery from the V&A's textile collection
Inside the Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up exhibition
Take a look inside the Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up exhibition
Teachers' Resource: Frida Kahlo, Making Her Self Up
This resource is suitable for Key Stages 3–5 Art & Design students and aims to unpick how Kahlo crafted her identity through dress, painting and photography.
Download the resource
Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up
With support from
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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
Header image: Frida Kahlo with Olmec figurine, 1939. © Nickolas Muray Photo Archives