Frida: The Making of an Icon review – forget her iconic status, just show us more of her art

Frida Kahlo's exhibition at Tate Modern, "Frida: The Making of an Icon," delves into her profound self-portraits, which reveal deep psychological and physical introspection. The exhibition highlights Kahlo's ability to transform her experiences of pain, survival, and triumph into compelling visual narratives. Her 1937 painting, "The Heart," is cited as an example, depicting her calmly enduring a pierced chest, with her disembodied arms appearing in separate outfits. The review notes that Kahlo's work was influenced by Surrealism and Catholic traditions of depicting suffering. The exhibition also acknowledges the physical challenges Kahlo faced throughout her life, stemming from a severe bus crash at age 18, which is factually represented in her art, such as the brace on her left foot in some depictions. Despite Kahlo's inherent charisma, evident even in early photographs and home movies with her husband, Diego Rivera, the review questions the inclusion of works by "lesser artists" alongside Kahlo's iconic pieces, suggesting the show is padded and detracts from a full appreciation of her art.