spring 2021 the frick pittsburghthe frick THE FRICK PITTSBURGH SPRING 2021 2 | FRIDA KAHLO—AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT: THE PHOTOGRAPHIC ALBUMS 6 | CAST IN CHROME: THE ART OF HOOD ORNAMENTS 8 | COMING SOON: VIRTUAL TOURS 9 | VISITING ARTIST VANESSA GERMAN 10 | HAPPENINGS AT CLAYTON 11 | BEAUTIFULLY BLACK IN RED AND GREEN 12 | UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS 14 | MEET A MEMBER 15 | CALENDAR OF EVENTS FROM THE DIRECTOR Next, we are refreshing The Café dining room and reviewing its services. Once it is safe to reopen—we hope, in early summer—we will be expanding the hours and menu. In the mornings, The Café will begin to serve gourmet coffee, teas, and pastries. At midday, we’ll feature light lunch favorites, such as soups, sandwiches, and salads—including carry-out for picnics on the grounds as well as some kid-friendly options. In the afternoons, an indulgent high tea, complete Dear Readers, with champagne, will return to The Café. In our last issue of this magazine, we shared On periodic evenings, guest chefs will prepare with you our commitment to become a more thematic dinners. inclusive and equitable organization, work Circumstances permitting, we expect that continues apace, and informs our current to resurface the parking lot this spring roster of exhibitions exploring a range of and add our first electric vehicle charging human experiences—from photographs of stations—updates that Henry Clay Frick and the iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo to an his neighbor George Westinghouse would installation of new sculpture by Homewood- surely have enjoyed. Later this year, we expect | 1 based artist Vanessa German. to improve pathway lighting across our site, As online programs continue to transform in a manner consistent with the dark-sky our work for the better, by expanding access movement—an international campaign to to our offerings and inspiring new visits to reduce light pollution we’re exploring in a our campus, we are taking steps to support series of programs. Another series, developed a “hybrid” future—including by increasing in collaboration with the National Aviary and wi-fi access across our campus, and preparing timed during spring migration, will focus on the livestreaming museum tour service birds—in art, fashion, and nature. described in the following pages. We couldn’t be more excited to share these During the quiet of recent months, our and other experiences with you in the months team has been hard at work. At Clayton, ahead. Thank you for joining us and for your for example, we installed a new wheelchair unwavering, inspiring support. lift, replaced storm windows, completed the porch restoration (illustrated on page 10), and launched projects to conserve a balcony and bathroom. Elizabeth E. Barker, Ph.D. Executive Director FRIDAMarch 6 – May KAHLO30, 2021 AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT: THE PHOTOGRAPHIC ALBUMS his exhibition Frida Kahlo is most known for her exhibition. Childhood polio and provides rare and captivating self-portraits, which she injuries from the bus accident left moving insight began painting from bed while her permanently disabled. One leg into the personal recovering from a near-deadly bus was damaged by polio and the spine- life of one of the accident in 1925. The photographs in crushing bus accident left her both twentieth century’s this collection provide intriguing unable to carry a pregnancy to term most iconic artists. evidence of the way Kahlo envisioned and suffering from chronic pain. One Since her death in herself and crafted and refined what 1940 photograph by Nickolas Muray 1954, Frida Kahlo’s would become her world-famous image. depicts Kahlo in bed with her chin T(1907–1954) fame as an artist and Some photographs have been altered supported by a sling while she female role model has increased by hand to change her appearance, undergoes traction treatment in a exponentially. Though the headline of possibly as aids in painting. Frida had Mexico City hospital. The photograph her obituary in The New York Times a natural connection with the lens; is inscribed “For Diego from Frida.” read, “Frida Kahlo, Artist, Diego Rivera’s she seems always aware of the camera, Other photographs show her in bed Wife,” her work, her image, and her and was intentional in her use of it as or in a wheelchair—often recovering extraordinary life have captured the a tool to communicate with the viewer, from one of the 30 additional surgeries imagination of the art world and pop likely a sensibility learned while she had in an effort to reduce her culture, making her one of the most assisting her photographer father chronic pain. recognizable artists today, eclipsing on location and in the darkroom. Together, this collection of her dear Diego. The collection illustrates the photographs captures the flavor of Through 115 photographs selected relationship between Frida and the world that Frida Kahlo and Diego | 3 from her private albums, this exhibition Diego—her great love, and what she Rivera shared—a world where the allows us to see Frida Kahlo through called the second serious accident in intellectual, creative, and politically her own eyes, as well as the eyes of her her life. The couple married in 1929, ambitious optimistically worked to family (like her father, professional divorced in 1939, only to remarry in change the status quo, and a world photographer Guillermo Kahlo), and 1940. Kahlo kept photos of Diego as a where the twentieth century, with its her friends, many of them noted child, there are photos of Diego working globe-traveling sophisticates, met the photographic artists, including on his murals and in his studio, and traditional culture of Mexico. Tina Modotti, Manuel Álvarez Bravo, many images of the two of them Art historian and Kahlo biographer and Nickolas Muray. Like all family together. A handful of photographs Heyden Herrera attributes the immense albums, these photographs tell a story; show Diego with fashionable young popular connection to Frida’s painting they illuminate Kahlo’s turbulent women and his assistants. Many of the to its emotional force. In a press release marriage to famed muralist Diego portraits of Frida are inscribed to Diego, for the exhibition Frida Kahlo, which Rivera (1886–1957), commemorate given as tokens; two photographs are opened at the Walker Art Center in friendships and happy times, emblazoned with pink lipstick kisses. 2007, Herrera said: document love and loss, and chronicle Kahlo’s lifelong struggles with loss Looking at her self-portraits, you her pain. and injury are visible throughout the feel that she is speaking directly to Opposite: Unknown, Frida Kahlo, 1929. Gelatin silver print, 6 7/8 x 5 1/4 in. The Vicente Wolf Collection. SPONSOR A PHOTO 4 | Please visit the exhibition page on our website or contact Jodi Golomb at [email protected] or 412-342-4089 for information on how you can sponsor one of the photos in the exhibition. you. Whatever it was that propelled culture. She saved photos of loved ones woman and the man she loved. her to paint herself again and again to, “keep them close,” and would often They go beyond just pretty pictures: connects with the viewer on the give photos to friends with the entreaty These are the images that truly deepest level. She painted her own to, “remember me.” Frida Kahlo looks bring Diego and Frida to life. image because she wanted to know at us from these photographs with Major exhibition program herself and to make herself known. a boldly assessing expression; her support is provided by the Richard She wanted to be kept in mind... creativity and passion for life are clear, King Mellon Foundation. Additional For Kahlo, photography worked in and we not only remember her but support is provided by members ■ much the same way. Photographs were want to know her better. like you. intensely important evidence of her The exhibition is organized and existence as well as companionship designed by Vicente Wolf Associates —Melanie Groves, Manager during times of convalescence. She from the collection of Vicente Wolf, of Exhibitions & Registrar amassed a vast photo archive of over who says: 6,000 images that reflect her greatest This collection shows a very interests—Diego, friends and family, personal view and exposes [Frida’s] lovers, her body, medicine, and Mexican vulnerable side…They show the MEMBER PREVIEW DAY Friday, March 5, 2021, 11 a.m. – 5 p. m. Be among the first to experience this exhibition during a daylong, members-only preview at The Frick Art Museum. Space is limited and advance reservation is required. RSVP at TheFrickPittsburgh.org or call 412-371-0600. VIRTUAL GALLERY TALKS Monday, March 8, 2021 at 10 a.m., 12 p. m., 2 p. m., and 4 p. m. Join us from home for members-only virtual gallery talks. Visit TheFrickPittsburgh.org for details. Far left: Unknown, Frida at the staircase behind Diego’s studio in the San Angel compound, after 1932. Photograph, 10 x 7 3/4 in. The Vicente Wolf Collection. Photographed by Peter Riesett, courtesy of Pointed Leaf Press. Center: Unknown, Frida Kahlo sitting on her bed at the Blue House, Coyoacán, Mexico City, c. 1949. Gelatin silver print, | 5 5 3/8 x 4 1/8 in. The Vicente Wolf Collection. Photographed by Peter Riesett, courtesy of Pointed Leaf Press. Above: Tina Modotti (b. Italy, d. Mexico, 1896–1942). Diego Rivera, c. 1929. Gelatin silver print, 5 x 5 5/8 in. The Vicente Wolf Collection. Photographed by Peter Riesett, courtesy of Pointed Leaf Press. Near left: Unknown, Frida Kahlo, Blue House, Coyoacán, Mexico City, no date. Gelatin silver print, 5 1/8 x 4 3/8 in. The Vicente Wolf Collection. Photographed by Peter Riesett, courtesy of Pointed Leaf Press.