Frida: The Making of an Icon

Tate Modern Review 19 October 2026

Finally got to see this exhibition at Tate Modern celebrating Frida Kahlo, an icon, as it says on the Frida Kahlo branded tin. More on that later.

Frida’s images, particularly her portraits of herself, must have reached an enormous number of people since her death in 1954 at the young age of 47. A Mexican artist proud of her heritage, she drew on her country’s Indigenous cultures and traditions while developing a distinctive style of her own.

There are over 30 original works by Frida in this exhibition, alongside around 200 pictures, objects and other items exploring her influence over the decades. Some reinterpret her paintings to represent different cultures and sexualities. She is seen as a trailblazer for women artists, doing things her own way and portraying herself with a monobrow and slight moustache.

The exhibition begins with her early years and the bus accident in 1925 that changed the course of her life. Her plans to study medicine gave way to painting as she recovered from severe injuries. The opening room also includes her drawing depicting the bus accident. It made me wonder whether this early encounter with death shaped the themes of mortality that recur in her later paintings.

Initially influenced by European painting, she gradually developed a more personal style. Photographs from this period also show her experimenting with masculine clothing. An independent woman who thought for herself was developing.

Her interest in Indigenous Mexican people and culture also found expression in her work. In Two Women (Salvadora and Herminia) (1928), she portrays two Indigenous women who worked in her mother’s household as individuals, each with her own distinct features. This contrasted with the anonymous workers often shown in Mexican murals of the time, giving each woman her own identity and presence.

Early on, a wedding portrait introduces her turbulent relationship with Diego Rivera, an older, established artist who influenced her work. At the same time, we see her developing her own independence. Her clothing and carefully styled hair give her a distinctive presence. She seems to be becoming a style icon in her own lifetime, captured in the many photographs taken of her, some of which are included in the exhibition.

Death, Indigenous Mexican culture and traditions feature prominently in her paintings, often woven into the symbolism of her portraits of herself.

One painting that particularly struck me was The Suicide of Dorothy Hale. Commissioned as a remembrance portrait for Hale’s mother, it depicts the circumstances of her death instead. It made me wonder whether the tragedy resonated more deeply with Kahlo than a conventional portrait could express, given her own experiences of pain and mortality.

Large sections of the exhibition explore her influence on other artists, including recreating elements of earlier exhibitions dedicated to her. We see how, particularly over the last few decades, she has become a cultural icon for disabled people, LGBTQ+ communities, women and those celebrating Indigenous identities, who find inspiration in both her work and her life.

One example is a photograph of Pedro Lemebel and Francisco Casas, the Chilean art duo Las Yeguas del Apocalipsis, recreating Kahlo’s The Two Fridas. Seated side by side, they use her imagery to explore queer identity and draw attention to the discrimination faced by queer people during the HIV/AIDS pandemic. It shows how her work has taken on new meanings through the experiences of other artists.

Finally, there is a gallery of objects bearing her image, showing how her distinctive appearance has become instantly recognisable and widely used. Here, the idea of Frida as an icon comes full circle: her image has taken on a life of its own.

It is a fascinating exhibition, with plenty to see and much to learn about her life, her art and her lasting influence.

Exhibition	Frida: The Making of an Icon
Dates & Times	Until 3 January 2027
Venue & Booking	Tate Modern Website

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Disclosure: I was given a press ticket for this