Yes, Frida Kahlo is in town. Oh, and a little of Diego as well, but, for me, Frida is the main attraction. Enigmatic, beautiful, talented Frida. So, when Number 3 (my brother's youngest) is also in town for the weekend and wants to play for a day, what better thing to do than visit Frida at the State Gallery of New South Wales.
There she is, Number 3, in Frida's studio with Frida. Well, almost.
Number 3 was a Frida novice, but she was keen to meet up for the day, to have coffee ... very expensive coffee as it turned out (not at the Gallery) ... some lunch and to learn about Frida and Diego.
Lunch at the Gallery is always fresh and tasty. Salad and veggies picked from the Gallery kitchen garden make every selection yummy.
The cafe and its quality food are not a secret.
It was the weekend and it was BUSY. Frida, Diego and the Archibald Exhibition all at the same time.
On our way to Frida, we cruised past the Junior Archibald Exhibition. Burgeoning artists painting amazing portraits.
These were our picks.
How can 14 and 11 year olds create such amazing work?
This one, which we really loved, by Andrew Yao, aged 8, says "I drew a vampire version of myself. I drew it because I didn't want it to be scary but it ended up scary."
We were scared too, Andrew.
Then, with bated breath, it was time for Frida. Photos, paintings, letters from the collection of Jacques and Natasha Gelman.
When I saw photos of Frida beside her self portraits, I think she was more attractive than she saw herself to be.
"I knew the battlefield of suffering was reflected in my eyes. Ever since then, I started looking straight into the lens, without winking, without smiling, determined to prove I would be a good warrior until the end." Frida Kahlo.
And, also of course, there was her Diego.
To me, a most unlikely couple. However, for Frida, he was irresistible and so, it seems, for Frida's sister.
Why she would chose to have an affair with her sister's husband I find confounding.
There must have been something about him ... something which totally eludes me ... I know he was very talented, maybe I need to investigate him further.
And so my curiosity with Frida continues.
I have a few Frida bits and bobs that I have made.
And a few that I sell here.
Luckily, it seems I am not the only one who has a Frida fascination.
Have you been to the exhibition?
Seen the paintings?
Are you a Frida-phile, like me?
Have you been to see the Archibald exhibition?
I'm leaving that for a week day. Weekends are far too crowded.
Catch up again soon.
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