Museo Frida Kahlo, Mexico
Posted On March 4, 2011
If you are on your Mexico trip, do make a visit to the unusual Museo Frida Kahlo in Coyoacan, which will offer you an unimaginable Mexican experience. Shrouded in the rising walls of cobalt blue and a doorway in green, this art gallery is a legendary one as it was formerly the residence Frida Kahlo, the famous female artist who lived here from birth to demise. Today, this is a stunning museum that is famous for its interesting exhibitions related to the two: Diego Rivera and his wife Frida as well as for the reflecting lifestyle of the wealthy bohemians in the nation.
Also known as the Casa Azul, the present layout of Museo Frida Kahlo is a colonial-style edifice that has U shape and surrounds a green courtyard. In spite of being 53 years old, the museum still retains its cheerful ambiance amidst which there are tropical plantations as well as pre-Columbian idols. You make an entry via the doorway that takes you into the courtyard from where you first explore the proper living room as well as a gallery holding some of the paintings of the lady like Viva la Vida and the one that shows her family. As you move ahead, you will come some more rooms where her multi-colored Tehuana robes, idols, masks, personal diary, giant Judas statues, pre-Columbian jewelry, the sketches of Paul Klee, monsters usually loaded with firecrackers, and sketches of friends (Marcel Duchamp, Jose Maria, and Yves Tanguy).
Frida was a beautiful lady and she used to purposely wear native costumes for two reasons: to hide her polio leg (right) and to please her husband Diego. However, her life was full of hurdles as well as problems that at the age of 18 when she was struck by an accident that gave her many spinal injuries followed by the jolts of her 25-year marriage all of which can be seen in her paintings. Prepared during the temporary divorce, one of them is the painting of ‘The Two Fridas’ whose replica is here in big black and white.
One of the top draws of the Museo Frida Kahlo is its still shining kitchen along with the dining room where you get to feel the true Mexican vibes. Bright yellow floors, dining room with the papier-mache Judas skeletons that hang, big yellow table, traditional brown and green Mexican dishes, big earthenware pots on the blue or yellow tiled countertops, tiny clay pots affixed to the walls, and ceramic animals – all speak a lot. You can further have lunch here for which one of the household pets will accompany: Bonito – the parrot or Fulang Chang – the spider monkey.
Off the eatery room, there exists a master bedroom that seemed to be made by keeping in mind the fattest man on the Earth. So, this means that Diego Riviera was a fat man and that for his comfort, this room was made broad. How a fat man enters is a sight in itself. In the room, you will come across the work clothes, hat, and a legendary jacket all of which hang from a wall rack. After seeing these things, continue with your historical journey by ascending to the Frida’s studio, bedroom, as well as a library. In these areas, look for a painted corset of plaster, which the brave lady utilized for covering her worsening spine; canopy as a mirror that aided in painting many self sketches; a painting of the dead child that indicates about the lost motherhood of Frida; and photo group at the bed’s base, which displays Mao, Lenin, Marx, Engles, and Stalin. And before you leave, just read what the Frida’s pillow says, which reveals her sorrow of not being remembered.
And now, its time to quit, but still you have one more top highlight to see – one of the fanciful arts is in the garden – the small pyramid featuring pre-Columbian idols as well as pink steps.
Timings
From Tuesday to Sunday – 10 am to 6 pm.
Admission fee
$2
Reaching the museum
- Catch a cab from the downtown
- Take Metro line 3
