McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, presents a special opportunity for fans of Frida Kahlo. In the summer of 2020, the center’s Cleve Carney Art Gallery will display the largest private collection of Kahlo’s works to be shown at the venue. The exhibition features 26 sketches and paintings on loan from the Museo Dolores Olmedo, including numerous self-portraits that examine the artist’s enduring themes of identity, sexuality, politics and mortality.
Frida Kahlo’s life was marked by significant physical challenges. As a child she suffered from polio, and as a teenager she survived a streetcar accident that left her with a fractured spinal column and a pierced pelvis. During the long periods of recovery, often spent wearing plaster corsets, she began covering those supports with drawings and paintings. Later, as she regained strength, Kahlo used a specially designed easel that allowed her to paint while lying down, a method that influenced both her process and subject matter.
Today, Kahlo is celebrated not only for her distinctive art but also for her impact on feminist thought and political activism, with her Mexican heritage central to much of her work and public identity.
The last major showing of Kahlo’s work in Chicago was held at the Museum of Contemporary Art in 1978. In addition to exhibitions in the Cleve Carney Art Gallery, works from this collection will also be displayed in the McAninch Arts Center Lobby and the Belushi Performance Hall, making the presentation accessible across the center.
Curators are planning a range of related programs to accompany the exhibition. Scheduled events include Frida Fest on Sept. 14, 2019, along with a program of lectures, workshops and complementary activities to be announced. These events aim to deepen public engagement with Kahlo’s life and art and to provide educational opportunities for visitors of all ages.
This exhibition offers a rare chance to experience an intimate collection of Frida Kahlo’s work outside of Mexico and to explore the themes that defined her artistic legacy. Visitors can expect a thoughtfully arranged presentation that highlights both the technical skill and the emotional intensity of Kahlo’s paintings and drawings, alongside programming designed to contextualize her contributions to art and culture.