Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics, and Painting

February 16–May 12, 2013

Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting

• Positions their artworks within the political and artistic contexts of the time

• Exhibition features over 75 works from these influential artists

• Artworks show their pride in Mexican culture and their commitment to the conditions of the common man

Curriculum Connections• Art

– Meaning and Creative Thinking– Contextual Understanding– Assessment and Reflection– Connections– Art Vocabulary

• Language Arts– Comprehension and Collaboration– Research to Build and Present

Knowledge• Spanish

– Communication– Cultural Perspectives and

Connections• Social Studies

– Historical Understandings– Information Processing Skills

Frida Kahlo

• Suffered from lifelong health problems, including polio and a street car accident

• Began painting while she was recovering from her accident

• Met Diego when he was painting a mural at her school

Frida’s Accident

• At 19, Frida was riding a bus that was struck by a streetcar

• Suffered multiple rib, spine, leg, and pelvis injuries that plagued her for the rest of her life; 35 surgeries

• Spent months immobilized in bed, where she began to paint

• Many works explicitly depict her physical suffering

Surrealism

• Andre Breton encouraged Frida to participate in an exhibit of Surrealist work, although she did not categorize herself as a Surrealist

• Marcel Duchamp arranged for her to be in an exhibit in Paris, resulting in her being the first 20th century Mexican artist to be collected by the Louvre

Diego Rivera

• Studied in Europe and met famous artists like Picasso

• Inspired by Italian frescos, he painted large murals that could be seen by everyone

• Used murals to tell the story of the history of Mexico and make political statements

European Influence

• Diego’s style became more experimental when he moved to Paris

• Cubism, post-Impressionism, Realism

• Murals inspired by Italian Renaissance

The United States

• Diego Rivera had a solo exhibit at MoMA in 1931

• He and Frida travelled to several U.S. cities so he could complete mural commissions

Portraits

• Self-Portraits– Animals as companions

• Double Portraits

Still Lifes

• Frida painted many towards the end of her life

• Flowers and fruit represent the transience of life

• Last paintings by both Frida and Diego were of watermelons

Lesson Ideas• Frida Kahlo Inspired Self-Portraits: 3rd • Rivera Inspired Cubist Still-Life Drawings: 4th • Frida’s 28 Corsets, A Fresco Process: 6th-8th • Mexican Retablos: 6th-8th • 2B Self-Aware Self-Portraits: 9th-12th • Quick Lessons:

– Rivera Cubist Drawings– Self-Portrait Clothespin Doll– Folk Art Sugar Skulls– Foil Milagros– Create Your Own Landscape– Mini Shrines

How do you teach about Frida and Diego?

Artful Thinking

• Help students develop thinking dispositions that support thoughtful learning – in the arts, and across school subjects.

• Developed by Harvard Project Zero.• Designed to be used by classroom teachers, adapted

for museum use.• Thinking routines are short, easy-to-learn mini-

strategies that extend and deepen students’ thinking.

• Learn more at http://www.pz.harvard.edu/at/.

Example: I See/I Think/I Wonder

• What do you see?• What do you think

about that?• What does it make you

wonder?

TRIVIA!DOOR PRIZES!

Question:What color was the house that Frida Kahlo grew up in?

Answer:BlueThe Casa Azul was the home where Frida was born, grew up, later lived with Diego, and where she eventually died. Today it is the home of the Frida Kahlo Museum.

Question:What are the three United States cities where Diego Rivera was commission to paint murals?

Answer:San Francisco, Detroit, and New YorkDiego painted a mural for the City Club of the San Francisco Stock Exchange, 27 murals entitled Detroit Industry at the Detroit Institute of Arts, and mural at Rockefeller Center in NY, which was removed.

Question:Why was Diego Rivera’s mural for Rockefeller Center removed?

Answer:It contained a portrait of Vladimir Lenin.Diego was given the theme “Man at the Crossroads Looking with Hope and High Vision to the Choosing of a New and Better Future.” The image of Lenin upset Rockefeller, who demanded it removed. When Diego would not change it, the mural was draped with fabric, then eventually destroyed.

Question:Frida was born in 1907, but she told people she was born in 1910. In doing this, what major Mexican event did she want to align herself with?

Answer:The Mexican RevolutionThe Mexican Revolution began in 1910, and Frida changed the year of her birth so that she would be associated with the uprising.

Online Teacher Resource

• high.org/teachers, then click on the “Resources” tab– Activity and lesson ideas– GPS and CCC– PowerPoint of key images– Recommended books and

websites

• Hidden Teacher Institute website: high.org/fdinstitute

Theatrical Performance by The Object Group

• Available on Fridays at 10:00, 11:00, and 12:00

• Additional $2/student• Interactive opportunity

for students to get to know Frida and Diego before visiting the exhibition

Multi-Media Student Tour

• Different tours for elementary and secondary students

• Available in English and Spanish

• Scripts available online• Interactive touch elements

and questions• Elementary tour will be

guided by Frida’s pet monkey, looking for symbols of Mexican culture

MUSEUM HOURS

Monday ClosedTuesday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.Wednesday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.Thursday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

STUDENT ADMISSION

Docent-led and Audio-guided Tours

$7 per Student

(Add $2 for workshop, additional tour, or performance)

For every 7 students One Chaperone is FREE

*Additional Chaperones $16.50

HOW TO MAKE YOUR HIGH MUSEUM OF ART

SCHOOL TOUR RESERVATION

Three easy ways to book your visit:

1. Go To High.org/schooltours2. Email schooltours@woodruffcenter.org3. Call 404-733-4468

Primary Source: Professional Learning at the High

• Groups of 10 or more teachers can meet at the High for professional development

• Receive free museum admission and use of meeting spaces

• A representative from the High will speak to your group

Teacher Free Days

• Evening for Educators:• Thursday, February 21• Register online at high.org/teachers

after December 17• Preview the exhibitions, plan tours

for your students, learn about professional development opportunities, and network with colleagues

• Teacher Appreciation Days:• Saturday, February 23• Saturday, March 9• No advance registration required

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