Exclusive Frida & Diego exhibition launches at AGSA

The Art Gallery of South Australia today launches the Australian exclusive exhibition, Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution. 
 
The couple, radical in their art and politics, were at the forefront of the artistic and cultural avant-garde in post-revolution Mexico from the 1920s to the 1950s.
 
The exhibition will feature more than 150 works including paintings, works on paper, photographs and period clothing from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection.
 
It includes works by the two iconic artists as well as Manuel and Lola Álvarez Bravo, Miguel Covarrubias, María Izquierdo, Carlos Mérida, David Alfaro Siqueiros and others.
 
This major exhibition has been several years in the making and features the most comprehensive exhibition of Mexican Modernism ever seen in Australia.
 
The last time any of Frida Kahlo’s works were seen in Adelaide was in 1990, also in our magnificent state gallery, as part of the Adelaide Festival of Arts.
 
It epitomises how arts and cultural tourism can combine to offer a unique experience for visitors and South Australians alike.
 
The exhibition launches on 24 June and follows the success of Andy Warhol and Photography: A Social Media exhibition at AGSA that welcomed 47,000 people – 25 per cent of whom (11,750) came from interstate – from 3 March until its closure on 14 May.
 
Such incredible cultural offerings do wonders to attract visitors to South Australia and AGSA does an exemplary job of bringing world class experiences to the state.
 
The Malinauskas Government is proud to support such a strong collaboration between the South Australian Tourism Commission and AGSA through the presentation of this exhibition.
 
For more information on Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution visit agsa.sa.gov.au. 
 
Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison said it is thrilling that the Art Gallery of South Australia and the South Australian Tourism Commission have collaborated to present this internationally significant exhibition – an Australian exclusive that can only be experienced in Adelaide.
 
"We know people from far and wide will make their way to Adelaide for our exclusive arts and culture offerings," Minister Bettison said. 
 
"Visitors to the exhibition will not only get to enjoy the iconic works by two of the most influential and loved artists of the twentieth century, but over 47,000 works in the Art Gallery of South Australia – which is central in our boutique capital, offering intriguing laneway bars, diverse restaurants, and bespoke hotels.
 
"Last year, the Robert Wilson: Moving Portraits and Archie 100 saw almost 14,000 interstate visitors come to Adelaide for the world-class event – and I’m sure this exhibition will be no different.
 
"There is no better destination for this Australian exclusive event, which is part of a suite of world-class arts and cultural events that drives visitation to South Australia beyond the Mad March season."

Minister for Arts, Andrea Michaels said the Art Gallery of South Australia is one of the state’s most loved and visited destinations and with such incredible, exclusive world class exhibitions on offer, that is no surprise.
 
"The Frida & Diego exhibition offers an extraordinary glimpse into the lives of two of the world’s most famous artists who brought love, passion and politics to life amidst the broader political and cultural landscape of post-revolution Mexico.
 
"I can’t wait for people to experience the magic of their work here in South Australia, the arts capital of Australia."
 
Director Art Gallery of SA, Rhana Devenport ONZM said each generation brings a new lens to the profoundly inspiring figure that is Frida Kahlo. 
 
"A twenty-first century muse, Kahlo is today revered as a feminist and as a singular political and creative force. Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution speaks to the influence and ingenuity of art practice in Mexico and aims to recontextualise the enduring allure of Kahlo within today’s society," Ms Devenport said. 
 
President Vergel Foundation, Robert Littman said this is the largest exhibition of Mexican Modernism ever to be exhibited in Australia. 
 
"In addition to the remarkable paintings and drawings, this edition of the Gelman Collection adds photographs and textiles that have never travelled here before," Mr Littman said.
 
"We’re delighted to present Australian audiences with the opportunity to experience this important period in Mexican art history and culture – an opportunity that won’t present itself again for many, many years!"