Highlights from the Frida Kahlo Show at the MFA, Houston

It’s hard to imagine an artist more iconic than Frida Kahlo, whose artwork is as instantly recognizable as her personal style. An upcoming exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, organized by Mari Carmen Ramírez, Curator of Latin American Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, explores Frida’s posthumous transformation from Diego Rivera’s companion to a global celebrity recognized for her artistic achievements.

“Frida: The Birth of an Icon is an attempt to separate Frida Kahlo the artist from Frida Kahlo the phenomenon,” Ramirez said in a statement. The exhibition is not just a retrospective of Kahlo’s work; Included are works by nearly 80 other artists across five generations who were inspired by Kahlo, including Laura Aguilar, Judith F. Baca, Judy Chicago, Catherine Opie, Carrie Mae Weems and others. The Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City also loaned archival materials such as photographs, documents, clothing and jewelry.

Some of the most striking Kahlo paintings in the exhibition are the 1949 Self-Portrait diego and mesold for a record $35 million at Sotheby’s in 2021, Where are my clothes hands?1933, among which art news Named one of the 100 best pieces of art about New York City.

“The Making of an Icon” will be on display at the Art Museum from January 19 to May 17, and will travel to London’s Tate Modern next summer. Here are highlights from the exhibition by Kahlo and other artists who responded to her work.