Forest Preserve District Celebrates Frida Kahlo In New Exhibit

WILL COUNTY, IL — Officials say the Forest Preserve District of Will County will kick off a 47-day Frida Kahlo exhibit with a ribbon cutting scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29, at the Four rivers Education Center.

The exhibit, titled "Frida Kahlo's Garden" will celebrate the major 20th-century Mexican artist with a focus on Kahlo's home, garden and Mexican culture, all of which inspired and influenced her work, officials said. The exhibit will feature photographs of Kahlo's home and garden, reproductions of several of her paintings, information on native Mexican plants, a dress from the Mexican state of Oaxaca, folk art, as well as traditional festivities, food and drink.

Visitors will even get to enjoy two Frida Kahlo SnapChat filters to share their experiences on social media, officials said.

The exhibit is free and open to the public through March 16. Hours are Tuesdays to Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.

After leaving Will County this spring, the exhibit will tour the country for five years.

Programs scheduled in conjunction with the exhibit include:

• Showings of the PBS documentary, “The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo,” at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturdays, Feb. 2 and March 16; and 5:30 p.m. Thursdays, February 14 and March 14.
• "Frida’s Flowers Bingo," 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9. Learn about the flowers and plants in Frida’s garden and in her art.
• "The Scoop on Succulents," 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 16. Kevin Eberhard, chief horticulturist from Bird Haven Greenhouse and Conservatory, will discuss succulents and their general care.
• "Botany and Art in Conservation," 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21. Learn about botanical illustrations.
• "Art Lecture – Frida 2020: Contemporary Connections," 11 a.m. Saturday, March 9. Justin Witte, director and curator of Cleve Carney Art Gallery at the College of DuPage, will deliver a presentation about the continued relevance of Frida Kahlo in contemporary society.
• "Upcycled Flowers Craft Workshop," 10 a.m. Saturday, March 2. Make flowers from repurposed materials.
• "Weekends in the Garden," scheduled all weekends during the exhibition. Musical performances, artist demonstrations, cultural experiences and more are planned.
• "Frida’s Garden Studio," ongoing during the exhibition. Stop by the studio to create your own masterpiece.

For information, visit bit.ly/fridakahlogarden.

Photo: Frida Kahlo and her husband, painter Diego Rivera, in Mexico City during the 1940s. (Hulton Archive via Getty Images)