Frida Kahlo, the world-renowned Mexican artist and cultural icon, needs no introduction. Regarded as one of the most influential female artists of the 20th century, she is celebrated for her impactful self-portraits that delve into themes of identity and the human body, as well as her inherent resilience against the hardships she faced in life.
Honouring the legend herself is ArtScience Museum’s upcoming exhibition, Frida Forever. The show will open on May 4, and run till September 1, 2024. This exhibition is part of the museum’s year-long celebration, ‘Year of Extraordinary Women’.
Now, here’s why this exhibition is an absolute must-see – the overarching showing consists of not just one, but three captivating segments: Frida Kahlo: The Life of an Icon, Bare: Frida's Inner World, as well as an immersive VR experience at the end to top it all off. The show will also feature works that have not been shown outside of the United States before.
“Frida is one of the most well-known artists of the modern era, but beyond her exceptional body of work, the trials and tribulations of her life projected her into the position of a cultural and feminist icon. Within this season, we are taking an unusual approach to exploring Frida’s story, focusing on the intersection of art and medicine,” says Honor Harger, Vice-President of ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands.
Produced by Layers of Reality and Frida Kahlo Corporation, the first segment, Frida Kahlo: The Life of an Icon, will allow you to dive into Frida Kahlo's life story like never before. Explore eight thematic spaces featuring photographs, films, multi-layered technology, interactive installations, 360-degree projections and interactive spaces that will bring Kahlo’s story to life. You’ll be able to trace her journey from childhood to her struggles when met with the catastrophic accident that changed her life forever, and witness how it shaped her into the iconic artist we know today. This part of the exhibition will also touch on Kahlo’s other passions aside from painting: political activism and romantic relationships.
Don’t miss the 30-minute, 360-degree Immersive Biography experience at the technicolour gallery. Sit back, relax, and absorb the artist’s biographical story from all angles.
And for those that are familiar with her, you would know that her fashion has also been a highlight of her identity. Fashion Icon will allow you to come up close and personal with her garments, featuring some of her most iconic looks, loaned from the Frida Kahlo Corporation.
The second exhibition Bare: Frida's Inner World peels back yet another layer into Kahlo’s life. With the support of the artist’s great niece, Cristina Kahlo Alcalá, and fashion curator, Circe Henestrosa, this part of the show will reveal her complex medical journey. The exhibition will shed light on Kahlo’s time at the American British Cowdray Hospital in Mexico, showcasing her medical documents, photographs, and an X-ray of her spine taken three months before her passing on July 13, 1954.
You’ll also be able to analyse her clinical datasheets documenting her health leading up to her final major surgery – the amputation of her lower right leg in 1953 due to gangrene.
Going the extra mile, a team of medical professionals from Singapore, including an orthopaedic surgeon, an anaesthetist, and a clinical psychologist, were invited to provide modern-day analysis. Their insights shed new light on the physical and emotional trauma that Kahlo would have endured, helping us understand her life experiences even more.
Round off your experience at Frida Forever by heading up to the VR gallery on level 4 for the last part of the show, Exquisite Corpse, developed by Layers of Reality and Blit Studios. Prepare to step into Frida Kahlo's home and be welcomed into the intimate space of her bed, where she spent many hours recovering. Then, you’ll be taken on a nine-minute voyage through vibrant, dreamlike landscapes that draw inspiration from her artworks.
For more information on the exhibition, visit their webpage here.
