Frida Kahlo dresses to be shown in exhibition in Mexico City
Florentina Rodriguez dresses a Frida Kahlo doll on December 9, 2005 in Mexico City. The real dresses will go on display in November.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – The brightly colored dresses and accessories worn by Mexican painter Frida Kahlo will go on display for the first time in November.
Reuters reported that 300 pieces belonging to Kahlo were kept out of the public eye for more than five decades at the request of her husband, celebrated muralist Diego Rivera.
They were discovered in 2004.
The exhibition in Mexico City, which opens on November 22, will showcase 22 items from Kahlo's unique wardrobe, including richly embroidered ethnic frocks, flowery headpieces and ornate silver jewelry, and explore the reasons the artist wore them, Milenio reported.
"We must remember that Frida – like Diego – wanted the colors, the dress, the culture of Mexican women to be public and known," Carlos Phillips, head of the museums that exhibit Kahlo and Rivera's work, was quoted as saying.
Another reason, according to Circe Henestrosa, who curated the collection, was to hide her disfigurement from a bout of polio when she was a child and a traffic accident that broke her spine in three places, Milenio said.
Kahlo died in 1954 at the age of 47.
More from GlobalPost: Arnie says his affair with the maid was "the stupidest thing I've done"
The story you just read is available for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
Make a gift today, and you’ll get us one step closer to our goal of raising $25,000 by June 14. We need your help now more than ever!