Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection

Now extended through January 26, 2020, with special weekend hours! Experience the lives, loves, and influence of two art icons of the 20th century. Few artists have captured the public's imagination with the force of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907–54) and her husband, the Mexican painter and muralist Diego Rivera (1886–1957). The myths that surrounded them in their lifetime arose not only from their significant bodies of work, but also from their friendships (and conflicts) with leading political figures and their passionate, tempestuous personal relationships.

Tickets

Kahlo and Rivera’s works vary in scope and inspiration. She is best-known for her intense self-portraits, whereas he worked as a large-scale muralist in Mexico and the United States. Kahlo’s work is deeply personal, often depicting her own dreams, painful personal experiences, and affinity with Mexican culture, while Rivera’s more public art portrays everyday people swept up in industrial and cultural revolution. Both artists forged the way for Mexican art as a significant element of the 20th century and beyond. Their art is tied to the legacy of Jacques and Natasha Gelman, who knew Kahlo and Rivera personally. The Gelmans became Mexican citizens in 1942 and began amassing Mexican art, sustaining a growing collection of works by Mexican modernists, including Kahlo, Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and others.

To recognize the native language and cultural heritage of artists in this exhibition, gallery information is provided in both English and Spanish.

A modo de reconocimiento del idioma y del legado cultural de los artistas en esta exhibición, la información de la galería está en inglés y en español.

Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection is organized by the Vergel Foundation and MondoMostre in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL). The exhibition is made possible, in part, by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources; the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, Inc.; and the William R. Kenan Jr. Endowment for Educational Exhibitions. Research for this exhibition was made possible by Ann and Jim Goodnight/The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fund for Curatorial and Conservation Research and Travel.

This exhibition is ticketed with Scott Avett: INVISIBLE. Internationally recognized as co-founder of the band The Avett Brothers, Scott Avett has been a working artist, focusing on painting and printmaking, since he earned a BFA in studio art from East Carolina University in 2000. But until now this art-making part of his life has been a secret and a more solitary creative pursuit in comparison to his life as a musician, singer, and songwriter. Like his songs, Avett’s paintings speak to universal issues of spirituality and struggle, love and loss, heartache and joy, as well as more personal stories of career, family, and living in the South. The exhibition includes large-scale oil paintings, prints and paintings related to Avett’s musical career.

Scott Avett: INVISIBLE is organized by the North Carolina Museum of Art. This exhibition is made possible, in part, by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources; the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, Inc.; and the William R. Kenan Jr. Endowment for Educational Exhibitions. Research for this exhibition was made possible by Ann and Jim Goodnight/The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fund for Curatorial and Conservation Research and Travel.

Presenting sponsors: Nancy and Ron McFarlane, Larry and Debbie Robbins, SOCO Gallery, The Umstead Resort and Spa

Extended Dates and Hours

Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection has been extended through Sunday, January 26, with special evening hours on Friday, January 24, and Saturday, January 25. The exhibition is ticketed with Scott Avett: Invisible, which will remain on view through February 2, 2020 as scheduled.

Extended Exhibition Hours

Tuesday–Thursday, January 21–23, 10 am–5 pm
Friday–Saturday, January 24–25, 10 am–10 pm
Sunday, January 26, 10 am–5 pm

Tickets

Through January 26, 2020, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism and Scott Avett: I N V I S I B L E are ticketed together. January 28–February 2, 2020, Scott Avett: I N V I S I B L E will be open on its own. While the exhibition is suitable for all ages, please note that some works of art in Scott Avett: I N V I S I B L E include nudity.

Tickets

Ticket Prices:

Please note: October 12–24 and January 20–February 2, Scott Avett: I N V I S I B L E will be open on its own. Tickets during this time will be $12 for adults, $9 for seniors, military, and college students with ID, $6 for youth 7–18, and free for children 6 and under.

$18 Adults
$15 Seniors, military, and college students with ID
$12 Youth 7–18
Free for children 6 and under
Free for member's first visit; subsequent visits 50% off
Free for college students with ID, Fridays 5–9 pm (please note, a limited number of free college student tickets are available)
Free for prearranged school groups (10 students or more) + 1 adult per 10 students. Additional adults with the tour: $18, if reserved four weeks in advance.
$9 for youth in groups of 10 or more (not part of a school tour); $18 for chaperons

Frida Friday Discount:

Friday nights in November and December, take $5 off from 5 to 9 pm. (Promotion excludes member subsequent tickets.)

Accessibility

In addition to our general Museum accessibility, we are including additional accommodations for exhibition visitors.

For visitors with low vision:

Wall labels throughout the exhibition use large-size text.
Large-print wall label text booklets available at the ticket scanning station.

For visitors sensitive to loud noises:

Noise cancellation headsets are available from the Box Office.

Become a Member

Enhance your experience of all special exhibitions and our world-class collection with these exclusive benefits:

Free admission for all special ticketed exhibitions (plus 50% off any subsequent visits)
Exclusive Member Mondays during select ticketed exhibitions
Invitations to exhibition openings and other celebrations
Discount on summer concerts in the Joseph M. Bryan, Jr., Theater in the Museum Park
Discount on NCMA Cinema tickets
Free admission to summer movies
10% off purchases in the Museum Store
10% off member's meals in Iris restaurant
FREE subscription to Preview calendar, a members-only publication
Members e-newsletter

Shop, Dine, and Stay

Shop

The Exhibition Store is open during exhibition hours. Also visit the main Museum Store in West Building for fashion items, art books, beautiful artist-crafted jewelry, and educational toys, books, art kits, and games. There are items for every budget and all occasions.

Dine

The Museum offers three dining options: The Frida Café in East Building; Iris restaurant, and Sip, a casual coffee bar, both in West Building.

Frida Café, Blue Ridge Atrium in East Building

Family-style seating with no reservation required. Grab-and-go menu includes tacos, soups, salads, desserts, coffee, and Mexican-inspired alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. Open October 26, 2019–January 19, 2020, during exhibition hours. See the full menu here.

Iris, West Building
Iris is a sophisticated, full-service restaurant featuring contemporary American cuisine with regional and international flavors in a distinctly modern setting. Specializing in seasonal fare using many locally sourced ingredients, the Museum restaurant, led by chef Steve Walawender, features culinary works of art that showcase a complex culture of flavors.

Reservations for Iris are accepted and encouraged. Request a reservation here or call (919) 664-6838.

Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 11:30 am–2 pm, Sunday 10:30 am–2:30 pm

Brunch served Saturdays and Sundays

Sip, West Building
Stop by our coffee bar for a quick pick-me-up. The perfect stop for coffee, grab-and-go meals, cookies, and pastries, Sip is next to the main Museum Store and open during West Building gallery hours.

Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10 am–4:30 pm

Stay

Homewood Suites, Raleigh Crabtree Valley (2.8 miles from NCMA)

Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites, Courtyard, or Residence Inn, Raleigh Crabtree Valley (3.2 miles from NCMA)

Hyatt Place Raleigh West (3.7 miles from NCMA)

The Umstead Hotel and Spa (5 miles from NCMA)

Arrange group hotel accommodations or visits to other attractions in the Raleigh area through the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Tours

Free public tours of Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism

Thursday, October 31, 2:30 pm
Thursday, November 7, 2:30 pm
Thursday, November 14, 2:30 pm
Thursday, November 21, 2:30 pm

Meet a docent on Level B, outside the entrance to the exhibition. Arrive five minutes before tour time. Free tour; exhibition ticket required. For individuals and groups of five or fewer with no reserved tour. Availability is limited.

Bilingual Gallery Guides for Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism

Fridays, 6–8 pm
Saturdays, 2–4 pm
Sundays, 2–4 pm

Want to know more about an artist or object in the exhibition? Talk with a bilingual (Spanish- and English-speaking) gallery guide inside the exhibition.

Guided Group Tours

All 10:15 am or 11:15 am tour times are scheduled. Please select another time.

Adult Group Tours for Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism

Tours are $50 for each group of up to 10 participants. Schedule multiple docents for larger groups of up to 40 participants. Paid tickets are required. Recommended times are 12:15 pm, 1:15 pm, and 2:15 pm. Schedule adult tours online. For more information email toursforadults@ncartmuseum.org.

Student Group Tours for Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism

In anticipation of high attendance, we are NOT able to accommodate student and youth groups from January 4 through the close of the exhibition.

Free tour and admission for 10 to 40 students (K–college), if arranged at least four weeks in advance and confirmed in writing. For adult chaperons with school tours, free tour and admission for one adult per 10 students. Free for prearranged school groups (10 students or more) + one adult per 10 students. $18 for additional adults with the tour. Reserve at least four weeks in advance. To schedule a student tour, please use our tour request form.

The group leader must email the number of participants to Jen Coon six weeks before the tour date. Not doing so may result in the loss of the reservation so that others may be served.

All 10:15 am and 11:15 am tour times are full. Please select another time. If this is the only time you can come with your students, consider scheduling a virtual field trip of the exhibition.

Choose from two themes:

Frida, Diego, and Friends
Explore the world of Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and other Mexican artists working in the first half of the 20th century. Learn how these artists depicted each other and the cultures that influenced them through photography, painting, and drawing. Recommended for 3rd–8th graders.

Frida, Diego, and Mexican Identity(ies) in Art
How did Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and other Mexican artists influence modernist art of the early 20th century? See how artists reflected and promoted varied Mexican cultures through their work. Recommended for 6th–12th graders.

Youth Group Tours for Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism

Free guided tour with paid admission for groups of 10 to 40, if arranged at least four weeks in advance and confirmed in writing. Groups are responsible for the purchase of their tickets in advance of the tour. Youths age 7–18, $12 admission; adult chaperons of youth groups, $18 admission (members free). The service of the tour is provided at no cost. Schedule online.

For 10 to 40 youth, Tuesday through Friday

Self-Guided Group Visits

As we prioritize guided tours for student groups, self-guided reservations will be accommodated as gallery circumstances and ticket availability allow. Reservations may be made from 10 days to four weeks in advance. Schedule online. For more information call Jen Coon at (919) 664-6820.

Virtual Tours

Harness the power of technology to bring your students to the NCMA through a FREE, interactive virtual field trip. Students participate from the comfort of your classroom. Not sure if you have the technology you need? Let us know—we can help. We offer virtual tours for Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism, as well as other thematic options, for grades K–12. For details or to request a tour, visit NCMALearn or email camille.tewell@ncdcr.gov.

Location, Hours, and Parking

Location

2110 Blue Ridge Road
Raleigh, NC 27607-6494

Hours
Tuesday–Thursday, 10 am–5 pm
Friday, East Building and ticketed exhibitions 10 am–9 pm; West Building 10 am–5 pm
Saturday–Sunday, 10 am–5 pm
Monday Closed

Extended Exhibition Hours

Tuesday–Thursday, January 21–23, 10 am–5 pm
Friday–Saturday, January 24–25, 10 am–10 pm
Sunday, January 26, 10 am–5 pm

Parking
Visitor parking is free and available in the Blue Ridge lot, on the right after entering the Museum drive. Overflow parking is behind West Building, on the left after entering the Museum drive. Visitor drop-off is located between West and East buildings and can be reached by turning left after entering the Museum drive and following the signs.

Policies and Press

Policies

Nonflash photography for personal use is permitted, except where noted otherwise.
Sketching with pencil/graphite only is allowed at the discretion of security staff.

Press

Statewide Mural Project

To celebrate this exhibition, the NCMA installed two murals on the Durham Convention Center’s East Chapel Hill Street side: I Am My Own Muse by artist Cecilia Lueza and Juchari Xiranhua/Nuestras Raices/Our Roots by Cornelio Campos. The artists, inspired by the work of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, painted these monumental murals in partnership with the City of Durham’s Cultural and Public Art Program and Spectra Venue Management. The murals were completed with help by students from the NCMA’s Teen Arts Council, El Pueblo, and El Centro Hispano, and unveiled September 21 at the CenterFest Arts Festival.

Beyond Durham, the Museum is working to share a mural template featuring a butterfly from Campos's Juchari Xiranhua/Nuestras Raices/Our Roots with communities across North Carolina. If you are interested in participating in this free mural project, which includes a digital file for projecting the mural butterfly onto approved walls, please contact Angela Lombardi.

Shareable Social Media Graphics and Spotify Playlist

Shareable social media graphics

Tap the link; then touch and hold an image to save!

Frida and Diego at the NCMA Instagram square
Diego Instagram square
Frida Instagram square
Green Instagram square
Hot Pink Instagram square
Navy Instagram square
Orange Instagram square
Pink Instagram square
Yellow Instagram square

Frida and Diego phone wallpaper
Diego phone wallpaper
Frida phone wallpaper

Spotify playlist

Listen to this custom playlist, curated by La Ley 101.1 FM!

In-Gallery Experiences

To recognize the native language and cultural heritage of artists in this exhibition, gallery information is provided in both English and Spanish.

A modo de reconocimiento del idioma y del legado cultural de los artistas en esta exhibición, la información de la galería está en inglés y en español.

Casa Azul immersive room

As you enter La Casa Azul (The Blue House), you will see objects and images important to Frida and Diego. They spent hours in their garden enjoying native plants and animals (including monkeys!) and collected artworks from various Mexican artisans. Frida spent time writing in her diary and painting while looking at a mirror above her bed. Each wall in the immersive space highlights various aspects of Frida and Diego’s lives. We invite you to come and explore this immersive room inspired by Frida and Diego’s home.

This room was created by OLO Creative Farm.

Diego’s Murals projection

Diego Rivera created his first mural in Mexico in 1922. It was part of the Mexican muralism movement, a state-sponsored project to communicate a new national identity after the Mexican Revolution. His art garnered international attention, and between 1930 and 1935, he created monumental murals in San Francisco, New York, and Detroit. A video in the exhibition shows Diego, in 1932, creating the Detroit Industry Murals at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Over the course of a year, Diego created 27 panels with imagery of workers, medicine, agriculture, and technology. Frida joined Diego in Detroit and at the time was unknown in the art world. While there, she worked on several paintings including Self-Portrait with Necklace, on display in the exhibition.

Ofrenda

Day of the Dead is a multiday Mexican holiday at the end of October and beginning of November when families come together to remember loved ones who have died. There are many rituals and symbols used to mark the holiday, including setting up an ofrenda (altarlike structure made as an offering) at the cemetery, at home, or in the public sphere. Mexicans believe they invite the dead into the Land of the Living through the offerings on the ofrenda. Frida and Diego celebrated Día de los Muertos to connect with ancient Mexican traditions. They incorporated traditional imagery such as calaveras (skulls) and calacas (skeletons) into their art and home. Mexican Artist Peter Marin is creating a 30-foot ofrenda from cardboard, craft paper, tissue paper, and clay and inspired by his family traditions and reverence for Frida Kahlo. We invite you to participate by giving an offering to Frida, Diego, or another loved one. Follow petermarinworks on Instagram.

Scavenger Hunt

Visitors of all ages can enjoy a special scavenger hunt through the exhibition to discover ways that Frida Kahlo celebrated Mexican culture through her art. Look closely for details in works of art on view to uncover a secret word. Find the scavenger hunts at the exhibition entrance.