Why should you be excited about Friday Kahlo exhibition? Let us paint you a picture…
Far more than just her defiantly convention-busting monobrow, Frida Kahlo was a towering figure in 20th century art. Though initially dismissed as merely the wife of Diego Rivera, the great Mexican fresco artist (‘Wife of the Master Mural Painter Gleefully Dabbles in Works of Art’, was a patronising early headline), Khalo soon established herself as an immense creative force in her own right. She was championed by André Breton, the founder of the surrealist movement (though their relationship was fraught and contentious), became the first Mexican artist to be featured in the Louvre, and created an acclaimed body of work – despite her own body being wracked with chronic pain after surviving a devastating traffic accident aged 17. She lived an extraordinary life, and now there’s an exhibition which seeks to do it justice.
Frida Kahlo: The Making of an Icon is a major exhibition running at the Tate Modern from 25th June…2026. That’s right – it’s not for over a year, but it’s already amongst next year’s hottest and most anticipated shows.
It’s not the Tate Modern’s first brush with Khalo – they ran a major exhibition of her work in 2005 – but this installation, organised in collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston – is surely their most extensive.
As well as some of Khalo’s most well-known paintings, the exhibition of 130 of her works will also include extensive documents, photographs and memorabilia taken from Khalo’s archives. What’s more, her style – variously dubbed ‘naïve Surrealism’ and magic realism – has proven hugely influential, and so Frida Kahlo: The Making of an Icon also looks at the work of 80 or so artists whose own practice was informed by Khalo’s.
Frida Kahlo Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird 1940 Nickolas Muray Collection of Mexican Art, 66.6 Harry Ransom Research Center, University of Texas, Austin
The exhibition promises to shine a light on Khalo’s many selves – from the intellectual to the ‘dedicated wife’ (following a divorce with Diego Rivera, they subsequently reunited and were married until her death), and from the modern artist to the political activist. From her self-portraits to her trailblazing legacy – iconic in every sense of the word.
NOTE: Frida: The Making of an Icon will run from 25th June 2026 – 4th January 2027. The ticket price is still TBC. You can find out more information on the Tate website.
Frida – The Making of an Icon | Tate Modern, Bankside, SE1 9TG
Looking to go to an exhibition, like now? Check out our guide to the best London exhibitions right now.
