Frida Kahlo: Her Universe

The iconic Mexican painter as seen through over 300 archival items, from her wardrobe to her personal art collection. This book welcomes us into Frida Kahlo's universe, exploring the legacy of a historic figure in the world of 20th-century art and culture in her native Mexico and across the globe.

Frida Kahlo (1907-54) began painting at the age of 18 when she was immobilized for several months as a result of a bus crash that left her permanently disabled. From then on, art served as an immense source of healing for Kahlo as well as a vehicle for self-expression and cultural exploration. At the heart of Kahlo's practice was her love for Mexican folk tradition, her staunch communist beliefs and her complex relationship with her body, gender and sexuality. A lifelong activist, Kahlo died of a pulmonary embolism after participating in a demonstration against the CIA's invasion of Guatemala.