Frida in Focus is an exhibition and series of related events at the Niehoff Urban Studio recognizing and celebrating Frida Kahlo (1907-1954). Frida is one of the most photographed women of her time, a Latin American iconic figure, an internationally known feminist, and an LGBTQ icon. This year’s theme for UC’s Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM), “Do UC me? My voice matters,” is inspired by Frida Kahlo, who determined the world would come to know her through images that were carefully constructed and curated by her. Our hope is that this exhibition and related events shine light on intersectionality, inspire people to imagine how they want the world to view them…and encourage them to make it happen.
Frida in Focus has been made possible through the generous support of the UC Office of the Provost, the Office of the Vice President of Research, the Taft Research Center, the UC Office of Diversity & Inclusion, and the McMicken College of Arts & Sciences (A&S). It is a cross-college collaboration between A&S, the College of Design, Architecture, Art, & Planning (DAAP) and UC Libraries. A special thank you to UC professor emeritus Edward B. Silberstein for loaning the extraordinary photographs of Frida and Diego, taken by his father Bernard Silberstein, that have made this exhibition possible.