The Australian-exclusive exhibition, Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution has already achieved box office target of $1.2 million ahead of the final days at the Art Gallery of South Australia concluding on Sunday 17 September 2023. It is AGSA’s number one strongest performing single exhibition post-Covid, with a quarter of all visitation from interstate and overseas.
Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution has been an artistic success and has immersed visitors in the creative and vibrant milieu of Mexico’s art world in the first half of the twentieth century – from the beginnings of the Mexican cultural revolution to Kahlo and Rivera’s turbulent love affair.
To cater for public demand the Gallery has extended it’s opening hours, opening at 9am from 11 to 17 September and closing late 7pm on the 8, 15 and 16 September. The next ten days will be the final opportunity to see the iconic works by two of the most influential and loved artists of the twentieth century – Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera – this exhibition is the most comprehensive display of Mexican Modernism ever seen in Australia.
AGSA Director Rhana Devenport ONZM says, ‘To witness the streams of visitors leaving this exhibition everyday with beaming smiles and in vivid conversation brings immense joy. The exhibition transports visitors into the creative and volatile worlds of Kahlo and Rivera. For the exhibition to already have surpassed visitation for any single exhibition post-Covid at AGSA demonstrates the public’s hunger for the arts and for Frida Kahlo as a twenty-first century muse who continues to be revered as a feminist and a singular political and creative force.’
‘We encourage our audiences to plan their visit well in advance and take advantage of the Gallery’s extended opening hours, don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity’.
‘Through ambitious ticketed exhibitions like Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution, as well as the Gallery’s 364-day per year offering, AGSA continues to make a powerful contribution to the State Government’s goals to grow South Australia’s visitor economy’. Devenport said.
Zoe Bettison MP, Minister for Tourism and Multicultural Affairs said, ‘South Australia’s non-stop events calendar of exclusive events has motivated visitors to commit to a trip to South Australia, and this is only set to continue with the final week of Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution, the Australian Masters Games, and the return of Harvest Rock and the VAILO Adelaide 500.
‘This major exhibition has been another Australian exclusive complimenting the unique offering on our state’s events calendar. The Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution exhibition has already exceeded the box office target with 25% of visitors attending from interstate or overseas. The event has not only been an outstanding artistic success it has driven thousands of visitors to South Australia over winter.’
Minister for the Arts Andrea Michael MP said, ‘The success of the Frida and Diego exhibition comes as no surprise with thousands of people flocking to the Art Gallery of South Australia for a glimpse into the lives of two of the world’s most revered artists. For the first time in 30 years, Australians experienced the magic of their art on home soil and it is these kinds of exclusive artistic offerings that make our Art Gallery amongst the best in the world.’
Next up is Tarnanthi, the Art Gallery of South Australia’s festival of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, opening on 19 October, until 21 January, 2024. As Australia’s leading First Nations Art festival, Tarnanthi will again be driving visitation from around the country and overseas cementing the state as a cultural leader. Tarnanthi features more than 1500 artists at the Gallery, throughout the state through partner exhibitions, and at the Tarnanthi Art Fair.
The Studio has been hugely popular, the space transformed into a garden of colour by South Australian artist Alice Lindstrom offering art lovers of all ages the opportunity to make paper cut flowers using the traditional Mexican decorative craft, ‘papel picado’. The Studio is AGSA’s free, hands-on activities space for art lovers of all ages presented by the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation.
Coinciding with the exhibition’s season finale, AGSA_eat and La Popular Taqueria will offer an exclusive dining experience to commemorate Mexican Independence Day on Saturday 16 September, In honour of Frida. Limited tickets are still available and include a tour of Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution exhibition.
The Frida & Diego: City Trail continues to offer a range of activations across the city, with Mexican-themed menu items, creative workshops, retail offers and more. Developed by the Adelaide Economic Development Agency, the City Trail’s highlight is ‘La Casa Azul’ installation in Rundle Mall, where visitors can have a photo moment and find out more about the exhibition and trail.
Visitors to the Gallery can also take home a Frida memento from the Gallery Store. Discover a selection of books, homewares, jewellery and gifts, inspired by Frida & Diego: Over the duration of the exhibition the Gallery has recorded record sales of Frida merchandise and the most popular item the exquisite hardcover 188-page publication, produced by AGSA.
Highlights throughout the exhibition season included a dynamic and engaging series of public programs and events, including talks from curators and special guests, live music, a panel discussion that celebrates Kahlo’s feminist legacy, Clay & Cocktails workshops as well as pop-up appearances by famed local Mexican restaurant La Popular Taqueria at AGSA’s celebrated First Fridays.
Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution concludes at the Art Gallery of South Australia, Sunday 17 September 2023. Tickets are now on sale at agsa.sa.gov.au.
