Hello Poets,
Last weekend, I visited the Mexican Genuises: A Frida and Diego Immersive Experience. It was wonderful -- truly an artist date.
I've always appreciated that Kahlo and Rivera were artists. But neither of their styles has been my aesthetic. To be honest, I just thought Kahlo's art was edgy and weird. I enjoyed how the immersive experience took me into the world of these two in a different way.
The exhibit was held in a warehouse turned movie studio. Each exhibit space included reproductions of art as well as objects from the time period and culture. I loved the leather chairs in the first space to sit and watch a huge mural by Rivera animated from a black and white sketch to full painting.
Another room was set up like a kitchen with dishes and cooking utensils--all of this with painted reproductions, menus, and sound recordings of kitchen preparations.
The grand finale of this visit was a massive hall that played a 360-degree presentation of sight and sound. I was grateful for a swivel stool I could turn around and around as the scenery changed on the ceiling, floor, and every inch of the walls.
As guests exited, we were invited to color in a community Rivera-styled wall mural and play with hands-on objects and dioramas of the Mexican geniuses. Fun!
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| In the mural coloring and fun objects room |
There won't be a Kahlo or Rivera painting on my dining room wall anytime soon. But, I appreciate how these two lived their art and both produced large collections of work to enjoy. I'm so glad for the experience with their work.
Frida
Borne by painand copies of your work.
Still, stars remember the flavor of your colors
as I wander a dark world looking at
and wondering about your art.
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Linda, wow. I'm so glad you were open to the new experience. The interactive room sounds awesome. I'm glad you chose to write a poem about Kahlo too. A poignant truth here for so many of her contemporaries, as well: "you lived corseted / unable to contain all you would express."
ReplyDeleteInteractive exhibits are a bit daunting but one really does learn and get into the art and the artist, for sure. I enjoyed your intro and then you showed the feelings of that time in your poem, ending with those stars, your connection, right?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing a snippet of your immersive artist date. I love how you love learning and share it through poetry.
ReplyDeleteWriting a poem about such an experience will keep it with you. I saw some of this work in LA a couple of years ago and love the colors and shapes, like in the painting above. It is other worldly.
ReplyDeleteStars seem to be finding their way into ALL of your poems!! Love the way you distilled your learning from the immersive experience into a poem. I'm willing to bet there is at least one Frida-inspired collage in your workspace!
ReplyDeleteYour experience inspired an amazing poem. I especially love "you lived corseted/ unable to contain all you would express." Those two lines say so much about her life.
ReplyDeleteI would love to do this immersive exhibit. I have been fascinated by the lives. These lines: Stars over Coyoacán drank your colors
ReplyDeletered and ochre birth blood
post-surgical black and green.
Again and again.
stunning.
“Sun, stars remember the flavor of your colors” -love this!
ReplyDeleteArgh.. on my phone tonight and cannot get my comment to record s as my name. The above one is me : Patricia Franz
ReplyDeleteLinda, major props for exploring artists whose work doesn't appeal to you on a personal level. I always find it hard to do that, but I'm always glad I did it. Your Frida poem is just gorgeous, and thank you for the whale sharing stars, too. I feel your poetry deepening ever more as I come visit over time...
ReplyDeleteImmersive experiences are so interesting. Glad you let this one inspire your beautiful poem. Yes, a true artist's date.
ReplyDeleteThere is something strange happening with comments. I write a thought down and instead of publishing it vanishes. Thanks for sharing the immersive experience with us. I am sure by what you wrote in your Frida poem that .it was a truly moving exhibit. Stars must be in your dreams at night because your padlet is opening up such amazing poems.
ReplyDeleteWow, Linda - I love that you went and immersed yourself a bit outside of your comfort zone, and shared the experience with us! I could stand to learn more about these two stellar figures as well; I just know the surface.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your thoughts and reflections and poetry - Thank you!!