Frida Kahlo as seen by Nickolas Muray: an exhibition in Rome reveals her most intimate face

Frida Kahlo (Mexico City, 1907 - 1954) returns to Italy with an exhibition chronicling her life, art and personality through the lens of Nickolas Muray (Seghedino, 1892 - New York, 1965). Frida Kahlo through the lens of Nickolas Muray will be on view from March 15 to June 29 at the Museo Storico della Fanteria dell’Esercito Italiano, in Rome. The event, produced by Navigare srl in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense-Defense Services S.p.A and sponsored by the Lazio Region, the City of Rome and the Embassy of Mexico in Italy, offers a privileged look at one of the 20th century’s most beloved painters. The exhibition, curated by Vittoria Mainoldi, is distinguished by its intimate approach, restoring to the public the image of Frida Kahlo through the lens of those who knew her up close. Nickolas Muray, a Hungarian photographer naturalized from the United States, was a privileged witness of her era and a friend and lover of the Mexican painter for nearly a decade. Their relationship, intense and profound, is reflected in the images on display, which recount Frida with a rare delicacy, capturing her spirit and inner strength.

The exhibition is divided into seven thematic sections: Photographs by Nickolas Muray, Letters, Frida’s Studio, Clothes, Jewelry, Stamps and Video Room. An articulated itinerary guides visitors through more than one hundred objects, including fifty black-and-white and color shots taken between 1937 and 1946 from the photographer’s archive. These portraits, some of them iconic, capture Frida Kahlo in private and public moments, revealing her strong temperament, determination, and magnetic appeal. Among the most famous images in the exhibition is the famous photograph taken in 1939 of the artist sitting on a white bench. In addition to the photographs, the exhibition delves into Frida Kahlo’s unmistakable aesthetic and style through a section devoted to her clothes and jewelry. Eight traditional outfits have been reconstructed, accompanied by six parures of handcrafted jewelry, details that provide insight into the importance of clothing in her artistic and identity expression.

Another significant part of the exhibition is dedicated to the stamps that, since 2001, numerous countries have issued in tribute to Frida Kahlo. The first official issue was in the United States, a sign of how the figure of the artist has managed to transcend national borders and become a global icon of strength and resistance. This section provides an understanding of how Frida’s image has been reinterpreted over time, consolidating in the collective imagination as a symbol of determination and independence. The exhibition culminates with a faithful reconstruction of Frida Kahlo’s studio room in Coyoacán, a place symbolic of her artistic production and daily life. On display here is a photograph depicting Frida and Nickolas Muray right in her studio, testifying to the special relationship that united them. The presentation press conference is scheduled for Thursday, March 13, at 11 a.m. at the Museo Storico della Fanteria dell’Esercito Italiano in Rome.

Frida Kahlo as seen by Nickolas Muray: an exhibition in Rome reveals her most intimate face

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