Frida Kahlo: Her Life and Legacy

The Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907–1954) is regarded as one of the great artists of the 20th century. Her celebrity status, achieved after her death, owes much to her turbulent life. The daughter of a German photographer and a Mexican mother, she survived polio at the age of six and a devastating road accident at the age of eighteen. Her injuries would lead, after many surgical interventions, to her death at the age of forty-seven.

But Kahlo lived the intervening years to the full. In 1929, she married the celebrated Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. She also took numerous lovers, male and female.

The V&A's 2018 exhibition, 'Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up', focused on her passion for the popular arts and visual traditions of Mexico. In 2026, Tate Modern will celebrate her life and work with a ground-breaking exhibition ‘Frida: The Making of an Icon’. (25.06.26 to 03.01.27)

THE ARTS SOCIETY ACCREDITED LECTURER

Ms Chloe Sayer

Freelance specialist in the art and culture of Latin America. Has lectured in the UK, Canada, Ireland, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand. Has curated exhibitions, and assisted on TV documentaries for BBC and Channel 4. Has made collections in Mexico and Belize for the British Museum, and is Research Associate in the Department of World Cultures at the Royal Ontario Museum. In 2016 she was awarded the prestigious Ohtli medal by the Mexican government for her long-standing commitment to Mexican culture. Her many publications include Mexican Textiles (British Museum Press, 1990), Arts and Crafts of Mexico (Thames & Hudson, 1990), Focus on Aztecs and Incas (Watts Books, 1995), The Incas - The Ancient World (Wayland, 1998), Textiles from Mexico (British Museum Press, 2002), and Mexico: Clothing and Culture (Royal Ontario Museum, 2015). Has also published articles in travel guides, newspapers and magazines.

Mobile number is for use on the day; please contact by email or landline in the first instance.

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