Tate Modern's 'Frida: The Making of an Icon' Criticized for Overemphasis on Image
The exhibition 'Frida: The Making of an Icon' at Tate Modern in London, curated by Tobias Ostrander and Beatriz García-Velasco, is open until 3 January 2027. It showcases approximately 30 paintings by Frida Kahlo, a reduction from the 80+ featured in Tate's 2005 retrospective, alongside pieces from her contemporaries and later artists. Divided into seven thematic sections, it opens with 'Construction/Self-Construction,' highlighting early self-portraits and personal artifacts. Following sections delve into her connections to Surrealism, her impact on Chicana/o artists, and the phenomenon of 'Fridamania.' Critics have pointed out a tendency to emphasize Kahlo's persona rather than her artwork, with notable gaps regarding her Marxist beliefs and activism. The exhibition also includes photographs by Julien Levy and notable works like 'Girl with a Death Mask' and 'The Suicide of Dorothy Hale.'
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Frida: The Making of an Icon' at Tate Modern, London, until 3 January 2027.
- Curated by Tobias Ostrander and Beatriz García-Velasco.
- Features around 30 Kahlo paintings, compared to over 80 in Tate's 2005 retrospective.
- Organized into seven thematic sections, including 'Construction/Self-Construction' and 'Surrealist Affinities'.
- Includes photographs by Julien Levy and Nickolas Muray, and works by contemporary artists.
- Critics: Laura Cumming (Observer), Alastair Sooke (Telegraph), Emily LaBarge (NYT) criticize focus on image over art.
- Review notes omission of Kahlo's Marxist politics and Communist Party membership.
- Final room 'Fridamania' displays merchandise like coffee cups and Converse sneakers.
- Tickets £25 with concessions.
- Review by The Art Newspaper, published 2 September 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Frida Kahlo
- Julien Levy
- Nickolas Muray
- André Breton
- Parmigianino
- Billie Holiday
- Amalia Mesa-Bains
- Rupert Garcia
- Che Guevara
- Malcolm X
- Patti Smith
- Andy Warhol
- Pablo Picasso
- Salvador Dalí
- Laura Cumming
- Alastair Sooke
- Emily LaBarge
- Diego Rivera
- Jacqueline Lamba
- Leonor Fini
- Judy Chicago
- Ana Mendieta
- Yasumasa Morimura
- Maria Izquierdo
- Mary McCartney
- Guerrilla Girls
- Tracey Emin
- Yayoi Kusama
- Olafur Eliasson
- El Anatsui
- María Izquierdo
- Kiki Smith
- Kati Horna
- Nahúm B. Zenil
- Georgina Quintana
- Martine Gutierrez
- Anna Müller
- Carrie Mae Weems
- Catherine Opie
- Elsa Schiaparelli
- Chavela Vargas
- Tina Modotti
- Claude Cahun
- Carmen Mondragón
- Imogen Cunningham
- Lola Álvarez Bravo
- Remedios Varo
- Leonora Carrington
- Hayden Herrera
- Hannah Silver
- Berenice Olmedo
- Sylvia Plath
- Edith Piaf
- Judy Garland
- James Joyce
- Sue Hubbard
- Louise Bourgeois
- Salma Hayek
- Leon Trotsky
- Vincent van Gogh
- Karl Marx
- Donald Trump
- Caravaggio
- David Hockney
- Cristina Kahlo
Institutions
- Tate Modern
- Galería de la Raza
- The Art Newspaper
- The Observer
- The Telegraph
- The New York Times
- Connaissance des Arts
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- Luhring Augustine
- Yoshiko Isshiki Office
- Aesthetica Magazine
- Malba Foundation
- Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires
- Philadelphia Museum of Art
- Communist Party (PCM)
- The Detroit News
- Wallpaper*
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
- Museum of Modern Art
- Brooklyn Museum
- Palacio de Bellas Artes
- Carnaby Street
- Julien Levy Gallery
- Tate Gallery
- Whitechapel Gallery
- Jewish Museum New York
- Casa Azul
- Mexico's National Preparatory School
- Pushkin Press
- Seren Books
- Artlyst
- French national collection
- Mattel
- Bank of America
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- New York
- United States
- Mexico City
- Mexico
- Guatemala
- San Francisco
- Paris
- France
- Japan
- Tokyo
- Buenos Aires
- Argentina
- Philadelphia
- Coyoacán
- La Casa Azul
- Houston
- Arad
- Romania
- Dublin
- Ireland
- Burnley
- Russia
- Bankside
- Casa Azul