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Exhibition to honour the Day of the Dead with a traditional Mexican altar
In its only Canadian appearance, Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting opens at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) on Oct. 20, 2012. Tickets are now on sale. In honour of the annual Mexican tradition of Day of the Dead, an interactive memorial to Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera will be installed in the form of a Mexican ofrenda, offering visitors a unique way to contemplate the artists’ lives, separately and together.
“As one of the legendary artist couples of the 20th century, Rivera and Kahlo have each achieved major stature in the history of painting—yet the distinctiveness of their work has meant that they are rarely paired together in an exhibition,” said Dot Tuer, guest curator of the exhibition. “By bringing the work together, Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting reveals the affinities—and differences—that shaped their creative visions.”
The exhibition, co-organized with the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, includes some of Kahlo’s most iconic paintings and a significant range of Rivera’s work, as well as archival photographs, a short film clip of the couple, a body cast worn and painted by Kahlo and a number of pre-Columbian artifacts.
“Scotiabank is proud to sponsor this exhibition through our Bright Future philanthropic program, and to join the AGO in celebration of these compelling artists and their legacy,” said Winnie Leong, Vice President of Multicultural Banking for Scotiabank. “At Scotiabank we believe that art is an important vehicle to bring communities together and celebrate our diversity. Kahlo and Rivera were revolutionary artists who expressed a deep passion for their homeland and its people through their work and we are pleased to help make this work more accessible to all.”
Timed-entry tickets to this exhibition are now on sale. Regular-priced tickets range from $16.50 for youth visitors and students to $25 for adults. Admission is FREE for AGO Members and for children ages five and under. Tickets can be booked online by visiting www.ago.net/FridaDiego.
On Oct. 24, 2012, the AGO honours Kahlo and Rivera with the installation of an ofrenda, a traditional Mexican home altar that is often constructed as part of Day of the Dead (el Dia de los Muertos). Loved ones build ofrendas to honour the departed with personal offerings, such as favourite foods, drinks and yellow marigolds known by their Aztec name of zempoaxochitl (flowers of death). Mexican artist Carlomagno Pedro Martinez will construct an ofrenda on behalf of the AGO in the exhibition space, adding a unique and interactive element to the experience. Visitors will be given drawing tools and encouraged to personally contribute to the ofrenda by writing or drawing their thoughts, feelings and reactions to the works of Kahlo and Rivera. The installation will remain on display until the end of the exhibition on Jan. 20, 2013.
In addition to the ofrenda, the space will feature five papier mâché Judas figures created by Shadowland, a Toronto Island–based theatre company. Judas figures are customarily made during Mexico’s Catholic holy week, Semana Santa, to represent evils such as corrupt politicians and military officials. This element of the exhibition is also a nod to the personal lives of Kahlo and Rivera, who famously featured Judas figures in their shared home.
Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting is co-organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta; and the Museo Dolores Olmedo, Mexico City in association with The Vergel Foundation, The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of Mexican Art and Galería Arvil.
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