Part of the season Frida Forever, the shows chronicle the artist’s incredible life and legacy
SINGAPORE (2 May 2024) – Two fascinating exhibitions celebrating the vibrant and
extraordinary Mexican artist and cultural icon Frida Kahlo are set to open at ArtScience Museum as part of a season titled Frida Forever, from 4 May to 1 September.
Known as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Frida Kahlo defied social norms throughout her life, exploring themes of identity, gender, and politics with raw honesty and intensity.
The Frida Forever season continues ArtScience Museum’s ‘Year of Extraordinary Women’ – a year-long celebration of the stories of women who have challenged narratives, defied
expectations, and transcended conventions. The exhibitions and programmes in Frida Forever take a distinctive approach by focusing on the biographical story of Frida Kahlo. Through immersive displays, historical artefacts, film screenings, symposia and workshops, the season provides a deeper understanding of Frida Kahlo not just as an artist but as an individual whose life experiences deeply influenced her creative process.
The season features the Southeast Asian premiere of Frida Kahlo: The Life of an Icon,
developed by Layers of Reality and Frida Kahlo Corporation, alongside the world premiere of Laid Bare: Frida’s Inner World, which is curated by ArtScience Museum in collaboration with Frida Kahlo’s great-niece Cristina Kahlo Alcalá and renowned curator, Circe Henestrosa. Together, these two exhibitions offer visitors a comprehensive look at Kahlo’s remarkable journey beyond the canvas.
Despite a life marked by physical suffering which began with polio in her childhood and later a severe accident that caused lifelong complications, Kahlo channeled her experiences into her art. At the heart of Frida Forever, the exhibitions explore the interplay between Kahlo’s medical challenges, her exuberant embrace of Mexican culture, her revolutionary zeal, and the passions that defined her life. The season also includes a virtual reality (VR) experience that offers fresh perspectives on Kahlo’s artistic imagination, as well as a newly commissioned installation by Mexican artist and curator, Lidia Riveros, that celebrates Kahlo’s cultural heritage and the motifs in her art.
“As part of our ‘Year of Extraordinary Women’, ArtScience Museum is thrilled to launch Frida Forever, a new season about the life of the iconic artist Frida Kahlo. Frida is one of the most wellknown 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. Frida was able to draw on vast reservoirs of strength and resilience to transform her medical conditions into artworks of verve and vigour, and passion and poetry. Her art emerged not in spite of her physical challenges, but because of them. Her portrayal of her own body, laid bare and damaged, transcends personal suffering and speaks to the ability of art to serve as a vehicle for healing and self-discovery. Frida’s story draws attention to the often invisible experiences of those living with disabilities and is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit,”
said Honor Harger, Vice-President of ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands.
“Frida Forever is for anyone who feels different, for those who embrace themselves in any
circumstances, and maintain a love of life in spite of adversity. With this season, we hope to foster tender moments of connectedness and find that little bit of Frida that exists in each one of us,” she added.
“I am so excited to see Frida Kahlo’s legacy come to life in this wonderful Frida Forever season at ArtScience Museum in Singapore. I have no doubt that the exhibitions will bring audiences closer to the life of an extraordinary woman and incredible artist. It has been a great have been delighted to work with the curatorial teams involved,” said Circe Henestrosa, curatorial advisor for Laid Bare: Frida’s Inner World.
For more information on Frida Forever, please visit https://www.marinabaysands.com/museum/frida-forever.html
