Presenting

THE ARTS For the first time, renowned artist and feminist icon Frida Kahlo is being given a solo exhibition in Florida, titled Frida Kahlo at e Dalí. e Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg was given the honor of displaying over 60 of Kahlo's pieces, including 15 paintings, seven sketches and a number of personal photographs and letters. e exhibit creates a surreal timeline of Kahlo's life, showcasing her struggles and growth as an artist and as a woman. Her work complements Dalí's surrealism well. e museum's executive director, Dr. Hank Hine, describes Kahlo's work as having the "ambition to embrace all of the cosmos," and notes that she "constructed [her] identity through [her] art" and through her Mexican heritage. As you approach the exhibit floor, you are greeted by a gorgeous and wildly colorful, floor-to-ceiling array of flowers, which Kahlo presents in many of her works. Such embellishments are often associated with Kahlo, for the elaborate floral crowns and braids she so often wore. Moving into the gallery space, Kahlo's life expands before your very eyes. e exhibit opens with a brief look into the tragedies she experienced at a young age, from her struggle with polio at age six to an almost fatal bus accident when she was 18 years old that left her immobilized for long periods of time and caused her to suffer lifelong pain. Tormented by her disabilities, Kahlo used art as an outlet. Underneath their beauty, "[her] paintings carry with them the message of pain," not only from her physical restrictions (as in "Without Hope"), but also the emotional weight from her marriage to the famed muralist, Diego Rivera ("A Few Small Nips"). e collection shows the dichotomy within her; on one side, we see the woman trapped within her broken body ("Henry Ford Hospital," "e Broken Column"), and on the other, she is full of vitality and strength ("Flower of Life," "Self Portrait with Small Monkey"). In addition to the featured collection, the Dalí Museum has also introduced several engaging programs for visitors to experience Kahlo's main inspiration: her culture. e museum's Avant-garden has been temporarily remodeled in homage to Kahlo's own garden at her home, Casa Azul, in Mexico. Films by several prominent Mexican directors, including Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuarón, are screened periodically, and the Cafe Gala features various Mexican-inspired dishes. e exhibit runs through April 17. e Dalí Museum is open daily from 10AM to 5:30PM, with extended hours and reduced admission prices after 5PM on ursdays. Visit GravitasMag.com to join our own Jules Lewis Gibson on a private tour of the collection given by Dalí Museum Curator of Education Peter Tush. The Dalí Museum One Dalí Blvd. | St. Petersburg, FL 33701 | (727) 823-3767 e Frida Experience " Tormented by her disabilities, Kahlo used art as an outlet. " W H E N Y O U G O An audio tour is free with admission and is highly recommended, in order to benefit from an in-depth explanation of the history and meaning behind each piece. "Autorretrato con changuito" ("Self Por trait with Small Monkey"), 1945 Subscribe at GravitasMag.com | 73

• Cover