Frida en Nosotros

Frida Kahlo Show... and?

Over 20 years ago, The Washington Post called me "A Kahlophile since age 17", and even after all these years, that description still fits me to a tee. Subsequently, I was lucky enough to curate two (in partnership with the Mexican Cultural Institute for the first one, and with the same Institute and the Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City for the second) worldwide "Homage to Frida Kahlo" shows - the first one atGeorgetown's iconic Fraser Gallery, and the second one online with art.com.

Campello's works are more than one-liners, though. They're also explorations of one of Campello's pet topics: race. In Las Siete Fridas (The Seven Fridas), he's envisaged Kahlo as Nordic, Arab, African, punk, Native American, Vulcan, and Beatle. The drawing was inspired by the 1980 census, the first to offer a complex menu of ethnicities for each American's self-identification. "This was my way of poking fun at the census and our governmental need to put labels on people," Campello explains on a nearby card. Las Siete Fridas was recently acquired by Seeds of Peace, an organization that promotes cross-cultural understanding. --- Pamela Murray Winters, Washington City Paper

Over the years, as documented here, I've done hundreds, if not thousands of works inspired, related or obsessed by Frida Kahlo, the Champagne Communist, pain-ridden lead for the title of most famous and influential Latin American artist... ever. And soon, very soon, I will be announcing another major Kahlo-related project... stay tuned! Just found out that a new Kahlo-inspired show is about to make its debut in the DMV:

Exhibit:

Frida en Nosotros

Artworks inspired by Frida Kahlo

May 5- May 29

DMV area artists pay tribute to Frida Khalo as a transcendent Latin American cultural icon. Each artist has taken her image or imagery related with her as a starting point to explore how she relates to their own ethnic traditions and customs. Featured artist are Marily Mojica, Osbel Susman-Peña, Nicole Oxendine, Ric Garcia, Marla Mclean, David Amoroso, Gus Rodriguez, Kate Heneghan, Jobi Jovanka Magana, Juliana Vallejo, Shyama Kuver, Cluadio Olivos, Eloy Areu, Sergio Olivos

Reception:

Opening Night and Cinco de Mayo Celebration

Friday, May 5

5 pm-12 midnight

Happy Hour

Tapas, Vino y Margaritas

Location:

Cuba Cuba Galerie café

2309 18th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20009

An artistic culinary initiative in Adams Morgan, where art, music and Spanish food traditions fuse into a cultural experience. Patrons can enjoy art exhibits in the restaurants' basement gallery space and then pair the experience with a good glass of wine and a variety of tapas or a dinner that samples Spanish and Cuban cuisine traditions.