In the world of art, there are a few names that rise to the top. These are artists whose work has taken on a whole new life, reaching untold fans. They’ve become icons of the art world, and their names will live on for many generations to come. Among them is the legendary Frida Kahlo – inarguably one of the world’s most popular artists. And a stunning new exhibition, Frida: The Making of an Icon, has recently opened in London, exploring her rich life, legacy, and oeuvre.
The Frida Kahlo exhibition is one of the year’s most anticipated new openings. In fact, before it opened, it became the highest pre-selling show in Tate’s history. More than 35,000 tickets were sold for Kahlo fans to explore her life and artwork.
Frida: The Making of an Icon is now on display at the Tate Modern. The exhibition will run until January 3, 2027. Based on previous popular exhibitions, there’s every possibility it could be extended!
Frida: The Making of an Icon
The new Frida Kahlo exhibition invites visitors to discover “the extraordinary story of how Frida Kahlo became one of the most influential artists of all time, a cultural phenomenon, and an internationally recognised commercial icon.” More than seven decades after her death, the exhibition showcases and celebrate Frida Kahlo’s distinctively daring style. Visitors can see over 130 items, offering a unique insight into her fascinating life and career.
The exhibition features some of Kahlo’s most iconic artworks alongside some rarely-seen gems. And visitors can also expect to get up close and personal with the likes of documents, photographs and memorabilia from her archives.
As well as Frida’s own pieces, the exhibition features “over 200 works by her contemporaries and the artists she inspired from later generations. The show also explores the capitalistic and commercial side of Frida’s fame, with over 200 “commercial objects that encompass her art, image, style and persona.”
Frida Kahlo outside the Tate Modern
In line with the exhibition’s popularity, a number of activations and special events have launched alongside the show.
A series of murals has popped up around the city. These murals display pieces created by young artists who have been inspired by Frida.
The Tate Modern Restaurant has launched a new limited-edition menu in collaboration with internationally acclaimed chef Santiago Lastra, founder of the Michelin-starred restaurant KOL. The menu features special dishes that have been inspired by the exhibition. Courses “[explore] Frida Kahlo’s world through colour, flavour and storytelling”.
Reimaginings of ‘Kahlo’s Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird 1940’ have appeared around the city. You can spot these everywhere, from “the screens in Piccadilly Circus to the walls around Blackfriars station”.
A special installation has popped up on Carnaby Street in Soho. The area has been transformed with colourful garlands made from “traditional papel picado – the intricate Mexican art of decorative paper cutting.”
🎟️ Find out more and book your ticket here.
📍 Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG.
🚇 The nearest stations are Cannon Street, Blackfriars, and Southwark.
