Detroit Institute Of Arts Prepares For Rivera-Kahlo Exhibit (Video)

By Edward Cardenas

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - An art exhibit of two of the most influential artists in the 20th Century will be opening at the Detroit Institute of Arts on March 15.

The "Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo in Detroit"exhibit, which was 10 years in the making, explores the year that the two Mexican artists spent in Detroit.

"When Diego Rivera came here he was regarded in the states as one of the most important artists in the world," said DIA Director Graham Beal. "On the other hand, his relatively new wife Frida Kahlo was unknown."

This continued until the 1970s, he added, when Kahlo was written back into the history books and "captured the imagination of the public around the world like none of the other artists."

Her personal art, which features her tragic life story, has led to the continued growth and interest in her works, which Beal stated, has led to Kahlo to "outshine her husband."

The couple was in Detroit between April 1932 and March 1933 while Rivera the mural "Detroit Industry"on the walls of the DIA's garden courtyard. The exhibit includes 38 works by Rivera, including his preparatory drawings for Detroit Industry which have not been shown for almost 30 years.

Included in the 26 works by Kahlo are some those she created while in Detroit, including "Henry Ford Hospital," which expresses her pain after the loss of her pregnancy.

About the exhibit:

• The exhibit will run March 15-July 12, 2015
• The DIA will hold an Instagram photo scavenger hunt of locations visited by Rivera and Kahlo during the exhibit. Participants will have the chance to win prizes.
• A 248-page hard-cover catalog ($50) will accompany the exhibition, available in the DIA Museum Shop.
• The DIA will be offering a variety of related programs and dozens of community groups and other organizations are also hosting related programs, which are posted at www.ixiti.com/diegoandfrida.
• Audio tours for adults and youth in English and Spanish are included in ticket price.
• The exhibit is free for DIA members.
• Ticket prices for non-members are:
  • Tuesday–Friday Adults $14 Ages 6-17 $9 Adult groups $12 Ages 6-17 groups $8
  • Saturday–Sunday Adults $19 Ages 6-17 $9 Adult groups $16 Ages 6-17 groups $8