(TORONTO – Oct. 16, 2012) In its only Canadian appearance, Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Paintingopens at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) on Oct. 20, 2012. Tickets are now on sale. In honour of the annual Mexican tradition of Day of the Dead, an interactive memorial to Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera will be installed in the form of a Mexican ofrenda, offering visitors a unique way to contemplate the artists’ lives, separately and together.
“As one of the legendary artist couples of the 20th century, Rivera and Kahlo have each achieved major stature in the history of painting—yet the distinctiveness of their work has meant that they are rarely paired together in an exhibition,” said Dot Tuer, guest curator of the exhibition. “By bringing the work together, Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting reveals the affinities—and differences—that shaped their creative visions.”
The exhibition, co-organized with the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, includes some of Kahlo’s most iconic paintings and a significant range of Rivera’s work, as well as archival photographs, a short film clip of the couple, a body cast worn and painted by Kahlo and a number of pre-Columbian artifacts.
“Scotiabank is proud to sponsor this exhibition through our Bright Future philanthropic program, and to join the AGO in celebration of these compelling artists and their legacy,” said Winnie Leong, Vice President of Multicultural Banking for Scotiabank. “At Scotiabank we believe that art is an important vehicle to bring communities together and celebrate our diversity. Kahlo and Rivera were revolutionary artists who expressed a deep passion for their homeland and its people through their work and we are pleased to help make this work more accessible to all.”
Timed-entry tickets to this exhibition are now on sale. Regular-priced tickets range from $16.50 for youth visitors and students to $25 for adults. Admission is FREE for AGO Members and for children ages five and under. Tickets can be booked online by visiting www.ago.net/FridaDiego.
On Oct. 24, 2012, the AGO honours Kahlo and Rivera with the installation of an ofrenda, a traditional Mexican home altar that is often constructed as part of Day of the Dead (el Dia de los Muertos). Loved ones buildofrendas to honour the departed with personal offerings, such as favourite foods, drinks and yellow marigolds known by their Aztec name of zempoaxochitl (flowers of death). Mexican artist Carlomagno Pedro Martinez will construct an ofrenda on behalf of the AGO in the exhibition space, adding a unique and interactive element to the experience. Visitors will be given drawing tools and encouraged to personally contribute to the ofrenda by writing or drawing their thoughts, feelings and reactions to the works of Kahlo and Rivera. The installation will remain on display until the end of the exhibition on Jan. 20, 2013.
In addition to the ofrenda, the space will feature five papier mâché Judas figures created by Shadowland, a Toronto Island–based theatre company. Judas figures are customarily made during Mexico’s Catholic holy week, Semana Santa, to represent evils such as corrupt politicians and military officials. This element of the exhibition is also a nod to the personal lives of Kahlo and Rivera, who famously featured Judas figures in their shared home.
Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting is co-organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta; and the Museo Dolores Olmedo, Mexico City in association with The Vergel Foundation, The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of Mexican Art and Galería Arvil.
EXHIBITION SPONSOR: Scotiabank
INDIVIDUAL SPONSORS: The AGO is grateful for special support from Gretchen & Donald Ross, and generous assistance from Scott & Krystyne Griffin and Valerie Greenfield & Hunter Thompson.
OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER: The Globe and Mail
GOVERNMENT PARTNERS: Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund and the Government of Ontario
The exhibition is supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Canada Travelling Exhibitions Indemnification Program / Avec l’appui du ministère du Patrimoine canadien par le biais du Programme d’Indemnisation pour les exposition itinérants au Canada.
ABOUT CARLOMAGNO PEDRO MARTINEZ
Carlomagno Pedro Martinez, b. 1964, Oaxaca, is a Mexican artist who creates sculptures based on his interpretation of Mexican legends and Oaxacan ceramics traditions. His work is found in North American museums including the Gardiner Museum in Toronto. He is currently director of the Museo Estatal de Arte Popular de Oaxaca, a museum dedicated to handcrafts of the state of Oaxaca.
ABOUT DOT TUER
Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting is guest-curated by Dot Tuer, a professor at OCAD University, writer and cultural historian. Tuer has published and curated extensively on the art of the Americas. She has received numerous awards, including Canada Council and Ontario Arts Council grants; Toronto Arts Awards; and curatorial writing awards from the Ontario Association of Art Galleries.
ABOUT THE AGO
With a collection of more than 80,000 works of art, the Art Gallery of Ontario is among the most distinguished art museums in North America. From the vast body of Group of Seven and signature Canadian works to the African art gallery, from the cutting-edge contemporary art to Peter Paul Rubens’ masterpiece The Massacre of The Innocents, the AGO offers an incredible art experience with each visit. In 2002 Kenneth Thomson’s generous gift of 2,000 remarkable works of Canadian and European art inspired Transformation AGO, an innovative architectural expansion by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry that in 2008 resulted in one of the most critically acclaimed architectural achievements in North America. Highlights include Galleria Italia, a gleaming showcase of wood and glass running the length of an entire
city block, and the often-photographed spiral staircase, beckoning visitors to explore. The AGO has an active membership program offering great value, and the AGO’s Weston Family Learning Centre offers engaging art and creative programs for children, families, youth and adults. Visit ago.net to find out more about upcoming special exhibitions, to learn about eating and shopping at the AGO, to register for programs and to buy tickets or memberships.
Oct. 20, 2012–Jan. 20, 2013: Frida & Diego: Passon, Politics and Painting
Mar. 16–Jun. 16, 2013: Revealing the Renaissance: Stories and Secrets in Early Florentine Art
The Art Gallery of Ontario is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Additional operating support is received from the City of Toronto, the Canada Council for the Arts and generous contributions from AGO members, donors and private-sector partners.
StarBuzz, Toronto-
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