Sunday: Frida Kahlo Exhibit at SFMOMA

Notes and Photos by Catherine McCulloch

The Frida Kahlo exhibit at SFMOMA opened on June 14th, but I was too afraid of the lines to go until now. Though it's been almost month since the exhibit’s opening it retains its popularity with tourists and local latecomers (like me). I went Sunday afternoon, probably not the best time for avoiding the crowds but the timed tickets ensured that the exhibit never got uncomfortably packed. I had to wait an hour and a half to get into the show but the other exhibits at the MOMA provided me with plenty of entertainment during my wait.

I was surprised and pleased by the size and scope of the exhibit. The works represented the duration of her career beginning with her life as a painter in San Francisco. The exhibit shows the work of Kahlo in the context of her life much in the same way she revealed her life through her art. Candid photos of Frida’s life, copies of letters she wrote to her husband Diego Rivera and their San Francisco marriage license were among artifacts of Kahlo’s life on display.

Walking through the exhibit was like watching a black comedy. The bright colors of Frida’s paintings stood in stark contrast to its serious subject matter. Some of the imagery used in Kahlo’s work would make a squeamish person shield their eyes. Though it could be perceived as grotesque there is something compelling about Frida’s paintings. Maybe it is her willingness to be so raw and reveal her innermost thoughts on canvas.

After spending two hours looking into the eyes of the many self portraits of Frida Kahlo and reading about her tragedy-lined life, you begin to share in her pain. Though labeled a surrealist painter, Kahlo painted her reality with an honesty that is jarring and sometimes uncomfortable for the viewer. This is a beautiful and meaningful exhibit that I hope everyone has the opportunity to view.

The Visitor Education Center shows a PBS documentary titled The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo twice a day and has other audio and visual information on the artist’s work and life. Timed tickets are available for purchase online or by phone: 1.866.99.FRIDA.