CULTURAL IMMERSION

Frida Kahlo: Legacy and Passion

The story of 20th-century Mexico begins with a promising outlook, marked by advancements in services, transportation, luxury, and a refined lifestyle, all of which became a model to aspire to, particularly in the city. This was coupled with the high expectations brought about by the turn of the century.

In this Mexico of transformation, conflict, and burgeoning modernity, Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón was born in Coyoacán on July 6, 1907, at 1 a.m. Years later, she would claim 1910 as her birth year, aligning herself ideologically with the Mexican Revolution.

Her Family Roots
Her parents were Wilhelm Kahlo, a German immigrant who arrived in America in May 1890 aboard the steamship Borussia from Hamburg, and Matilde Calderón, a Mexican woman of Oaxacan descent. They met while working at La Perla jewelry store, owned by German August Diener, and married on February 21, 1898. Together, they had four daughters: Matilde, Adriana, Cristina, and Frida. Wilhelm had two daughters from a previous marriage, María Luisa and Margarita.

Frida was born in an era of transition. Back then, Coyoacán was a municipality not yet considered part of Mexico City—it was still viewed as a suburban town on the outskirts. At that time, the country was under the dictatorial rule of Porfirio Díaz, whose novel urban policies aimed to sculpt a nation and, above all, a capital ever closer to a French-influenced modernity, modeled on European ideals.

In her Coyoacán home, Frida stored precious childhood memories, among them the occasions when her mother allowed persecuted revolutionaries to enter through a window to receive medical attention and a hot meal. This act of solidarity was one of her earliest lessons in empathy and supporting the oppressed.

Yet her childhood was not without hardship: at six years old, she contracted polio, an illness that remained unchecked despite the fervent pursuit of modernity in the country. Polio left physical scars and served as young Frida’s first warning of the challenges that lay ahead. Until then, she had led a somewhat normal childhood, albeit with unconventional tastes. Once the disease took hold, her body learned the meaning of pain—an unwelcome companion that would remain by her side for the rest of her life.

During that period, Frida became introverted and found a curious diversion: gazing through her bedroom window, she accessed a fanciful world in which she had an imaginary friend—a lively, agile girl who moved about freely and loved to dance, something Frida could not do at the time. Even so, her childhood continued with a relative semblance of normalcy. As part of her recovery, on doctors’ orders, her father encouraged her to take up sports: swimming, boxing, and soccer, as well as climbing trees and riding bicycles. Yet despite these efforts, children still taunted her cruelly over her thinner right leg—atrophied by polio—calling her “Frida, wooden leg.”

Influence of Her Father
Her father, who himself occasionally suffered debilitating epileptic seizures, felt a special bond with Frida because of her condition. In time, she became his favorite child, beloved for her quick mind and intelligence. She often accompanied him on his photography assignments, tending to him and keeping watch over his camera equipment in case he had one of his attacks.

Frida was, by nature, an intellectually restless young woman, always seeking to learn and shape a path for herself beyond her family. That drive led her in 1922 to become one of the few young women admitted to the National Preparatory School—an achievement that afforded her a glimpse of the independence she longed for. It was there that she first encountered Diego Rivera.

The Accident That Changed Her Destiny
One school day, already on the bus home with Alejandro, she realized she had forgotten an umbrella and decided to get off to retrieve it. That small choice changed everything. On their second bus ride of the day, heading again to Coyoacán, the bus collided with a streetcar. It was the afternoon of September 17, 1925.

Frida’s injuries were severe: three fractures in her spine, plus a broken collarbone, ribs, right leg, and pelvis. To compound the damage, a handrail pierced her abdomen and exited through her vagina. Despite her life-threatening injuries, Frida was discharged from the hospital a month later. Yet what she faced was merely the beginning. Nothing would be the same: her hobbies, daily activities, ambitions, and future plans had all been overturned.

Still, who would Frida have become without that accident? She might well have led a career in medicine—thus, in a way, the accident gave birth to the painter. During her convalescence, she took up canvas and brush as a distraction. Once she had recovered enough to paint, she remembered Diego Rivera.

Marriage and Ups and Downs
The couple married on August 21, 1929, at the Coyoacán City Hall. Beyond the difference in their ages—Frida was 22 and Diego 42—their physical disparity was also striking: he was tall and robust, she petite and slender.
Their travels abroad, with Frida now a married woman, were crucial to her personal and artistic growth. Eventually, their travels became her own. First, she exhibited her work in New York in 1938, and then in Paris a year later.

Exhibition in Mexico
On April 13, 1953, the only solo exhibition held in her lifetime took place in her native country, at Lola Álvarez Bravo’s Gallery of Contemporary Art. Frail as she was, she refused to miss the occasion. That very afternoon, her bed was transported to the gallery. At eight in the evening, an ambulance brought her there, and she made her memorable entrance on a stretcher.

Her Last Days
By 1953, with her health deteriorating, she suffered the amputation of her right leg. It was then she coined one of her most famous phrases: “Feet—what do I need them for, if I have wings to fly?”
She died on July 13, 1954, in her Blue House in Coyoacán. Only a day before, she had given Diego an anniversary gift—an engagement ring for August 21.

Her House, a Museum
In July 1958, four years after Frida’s death, her Coyoacán home opened to the public as a museum. The poet and close friend of the couple, Carlos Pellicer, curated the space.
Frida was a painter, teacher, animal lover, activist, gracious hostess, wife, lover, confidante, and above all, passionately devoted to life. Over time, she has become an icon of art, fashion, and feminist thought. Her work is inextricably tied to her own story: the accident, her family heritage, her miscarriages, and her many self-portraits all bear witness to the struggles and triumphs of her life. Between her singular image, her paintings, her remarkable biography, and her profound zest for life, Frida Kahlo endures as a Mexican icon.

An immersive biography of the life of one of the world’s most influential artists

In the 21st century, Frida Kahlo’s story is more relevant than ever. Her life captivates, surprises and inspires through a biography that reveals a woman capable of overcoming adversity thanks to her perseverance, strength, rebellion and talent. With an incomparable personality, Kahlo was ahead of her time.

Frida Kahlo: The Life of an Icon is an immersive and colorful adventure which uses the latest technologies to make your visit a truly unique experience- a whole new way to educate yourself and learn more about the artist’s incredible life.

The immersive biography of Frida Kahlo is presented without reproductions of the artist’s paintings to push the limits of engagement. The innovative idea explores the artist’s biography through collections of historical photographs, original films, digital environments, art installations, collectibles and newly created music that recreate the most significant moments of her life, inviting visitors to discover the incredible story behind the legendary artist.

Official video: Watch it here! Frida Kahlo: The Immersive Biography. An experience that has toured more than 30 countries and culminates in Mexico City on July 31, 2025.

Tickets to the Mexico City exhibition: Buy them here!

January 18–May 17, 2026
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Devoted to Frida Kahlo’s life and legacy, Frida: The Making of an Icon premieres at the MFAH in January 2026. This monumental exhibition features more than 30 works by the legendary Mexican artist and 120 by artists across five generations that she inspired.

More info here!

Two Cultures, Two Journeys, and One Era
Hear from Carlos Rovelo as he explores O’Keeffe and Kahlo’s friendship, their New York encounter, their art, and their legacies.

Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keeffe first met during Diego Rivera’s retrospective exhibit at the MOMA in December 1931. Both women shared things in common; both were married to older, well-known men, and both were part of the modernism movement of the early 20th century. Their relationship included mutual admiration and sympathy. During O’Keeffe’s 1933 nervous breakdown, Kahlo wrote a letter expressing concern for her health and offering affection.

Carlos Rovelo is a professor of Mexican American studies and art history at Dallas College. In addition, he has taught courses on Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keeffe, Modernism, and the Mexican Muralist Movement. Carlos has led art history and cultural tours of Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Oaxaca, Mexico since 2000.

This talk will also bring The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum to dialogue with Kahlo’s La Casa Azul (the Blue House) Mexico City Museum.

Watch the webinar!

James Payne explains 'The Two Fridas', her greatest painting, created during a period of deep instability for Frida Kahlo.

Frida Kahlo is one of the most iconic female artists in history. Instead of following traditional ideals of female beauty in art, she chose to paint her truth—raw, emotional, and deeply personal.

At 18, a near-fatal bus accident left her with life-long injuries and chronic pain, but she turned her suffering into powerful and groundbreaking art.

As a disabled Mexican woman working in a male-dominated, post-revolutionary society, Frida defied every expectation. She became a feminist icon who challenged social norms and created some of the most haunting and visionary images of the 20th century.

Watch the documentary!

A 360-degree virtual tour of the Frida Kahlo Museum.

Nestled in the Coyoacán neighborhood of Mexico City, the Casa Azul—Frida Kahlo’s Blue House—is where she was born, created much of her most powerful works, and eventually passed away. Once her private home, it’s now a global destination for art lovers.

As you move through the house, you’ll see some of her most famous works on display, including Viva la Vida (Watermelons, 1954), Frida and the Cesarean Operation (1932), and Portrait of My Father (1951). Personal artifacts are scattered throughout—from her treasured easel and the mirror she used to paint her self-portraits, to Aztec and Toltec figurines in the courtyard—offering a rare and intimate glimpse into Frida’s life.

The Casa Azul invites you on a 360-degree digital journey through Kahlo’s preserved living spaces and the galleries of the Frida Kahlo Museum. Step into the bright yellow kitchen where Leon Trotsky once had tea, or the bedroom where Frida recovered from a devastating bus accident and discovered her calling as an artist.

Check out the Museo Frida Kahlo’s website, located in Coyoacán, Mexico City: Enter the Museum Explore its vibrant rooms and world-class collection: Immersive virtual tour

Full Documentary
The Mexican painter Frida Kahlo is conceivably one of the most celebrated and recognizable female artists that the world has yet known. Considered nowadays to be an icon that only continues to inspire millions around the world increasingly over time with the artwork she produced, most significantly within her many, surreal and colorful self-portraits.

The full documentary by Matt Malone: Watch it here!

A Musical Journey for Spanish Learners.
This playlist brings together unforgettable songs that reflect the emotional depth, cultural pride, and revolutionary spirit of Frida Kahlo. From heartfelt rancheras and boleros to traditional folk songs and revolutionary ballads, each track captures the passion, pain, and poetry that surrounded Frida’s life and art.

Carefully curated for students of Spanish as a Second Language, these songs help learners explore the language through music, while connecting with Frida’s unique voice, her love for Mexico, and the soulful soundscape of her time.

Let Frida’s music-filled life guide your Spanish journey—one powerful song at a time.

Go!