An award-winning immersive exhibition exploring the life and work of the iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo will launch at The Reel Store in Coventry later this month.
Coventry City of Culture Trust, which operates the gallery at the former Coventry Evening Telegraph building as part of the legacy of Coventry’s year as UK City of Culture, has announced the exhibition will run from 25 November 2022 to 29 January 2023.
The multi-award-winning exhibition Life and Work of Frida Kahlo comes to Coventry following its sell-out run in Madrid, which welcomed over 100,000 visitors. Conceived, designed, and produced by international exhibition producer Acciona Cultura in collaboration with the Frida Kahlo Trust, the exhibition combines academic research with an immersive spectacle that places visitors at the centre of the experience.
The Trust has also announced the appointment of Chris Michaels as the first Director of The Reel Store where he will be responsible for the strategic direction and curatorial leadership.
Most recently, Chris was Director of Digital, Communications and Technology at the National Gallery, London where he sat on their Executive Committee. He is a Senior Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London and a Creative Industries Policy and Engagement Fellow at the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Blooloop named him one of a “Power 10 Museum Influencers” in 2022.
The curatorial team behind the Life and Work of Frida Kahlo exhibition was led by Roxana Velásquez, Executive Director of the San Diego Museum of Art, and Deidré Guevara, Curator of the exhibition Frida and I at the Georges Pompidou Museum in Paris
The exhibition uses Kahlo’s personal diary to take visitors on a journey into her own universe, inviting them to explore a new and fascinating side of the celebrated artist through different parts of her identity: as a woman, painter, and icon.
The immersive and audiovisual show is separated into three parts with a voiceover which highlights the richness of her writings.
The first part shows the artist as an acclaimed public figure in the 1930 and 1940s, exhibiting around the world and rubbing shoulders with figures like Pablo Picasso and Alice Rahon.
The second section focuses on her personal story, her family origins in Mexico, and the two most defining events of her life: a 1925 bus crash that nearly paralysed her and her tumultuous relationship with artist Diego Rivera.
The third section of the experience centres around ‘The Blue House’ in Mexico where Kahlo lived, worked and died, and the site where many of her most famous works were painted.
Alongside excerpts from Frida’s diary that show personal and previously unknown facets of this outstanding artist, the exhibition showcases multiple masterpieces by the painter, including her famous self-portraits The Wounded Deer or the one dedicated to Doctor Eloesser, and other lesser-known works such as The Suicide of Dorothy Hale, or What the Water Gave Me. It presents an artistic reinterpretation of Frida's work using a 360º projection. A hands-on display introduces visitors to the artist before entering the experiential galleries.
Chris Michaels, Director, The Reel Store, said: “I am incredibly excited to join The Reel Store as its first Director at this pivotal time. The venue is leading the way in a new generation of museums and galleries that are built on the possibilities of digital and we are delighted to announce the Life and Work of Frida Kahlo as its second exhibition.
“We are certain that it will not only provide an unforgettably moving snapshot of Kahlo’s iconic story, but will also bring her thoughts, emotions, and artwork to life. The exhibition invites visitors to the core of the creative experience, taking them on an intimate journey alongside one of the world’s most loved and respected artists.”
Martin Sutherland, Chief Executive of Coventry City of Culture Trust, said:
“We are thrilled to welcome Chris as the first Director of The Reel Store. He is at the forefront of digital innovation in the cultural sector and with his leadership, experience, and pioneering thinking I am positive we will achieve our ambitious plans for the future.”
Carla Prat, Artistic Director of ‘Life and Work of Frida Kahlo at Acciona Cultura’, said: “This exhibition is the culmination of a long artistic and academic exercise to move away from the usual narrative of pain/victim and towards one of resilience, courage, female empowerment and genius.
“The truth is, despite the many biopics, books and exhibitions about Frida Kahlo, there remains much to learn and remember about her and her paintings. This exhibition screams: ‘This is what I felt. This is how I thought. This is how I was. Remember me!”
Beyond her iconic masterpieces and popular perceptions, the show will take visitors on an unforgettable journey of resilience, hope and bravery. Life and Work of Frida Kahlo is presented with an original soundtrack by Goya-award nominated composer and pianist Arturo Cardelús, which combines traditional European and Mexican music and captures the spirit of Kahlo’s legacy. The soundtrack has been recorded with the Budapest Art Orchestra by its conductor, Peter Pejtsik.
The exhibition has already won three major international awards: the 'Best Experience Design 2022' at the Innovation by Design Awards Fast Company, the Red Dot Design Award in the category 'Brand and Communication Design 2022' and the Silver award for 'Best Technical Installation' at the Eventoplus Awards.
The Reel Store has been made possible by the generous support of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, Coventry City Council via the Council’s Cultural Capital Investment Fund, the Government’s Getting Building Fund through the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), The Patrick Trust, The Linbury Trust, Edward Cadbury Charitable Trust and Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce.
Tickets are on sale from 9.00am, Wednesday 9 November. To find out more and to be notified when tickets go on sale visit www.coventry2021.co.uk