Tonight, the Phoenix Fridas are taking their love of, and inspiration from Frida Kahlo to a new level in a month-long, collaborative exhibition at Vision Gallery in Chandler.
"I Leave You My Portrait" includes paintings and sculptures, as well as an interactive dresser, a "spirit of Frida" sitting area, and contemporary clothing with Frida flair, all made by the group's 11 Phoenix-based artists including Kathy Cano-Murillo, Leticia de la Vara, Anita Mabante Leach, Carmen Guerrero, April Edwards, Emily Costello, Lucia Madrid, Annalisa Rios, Monique Sanderson-Mata, Michele Delgado, and Gloria Casillas-Martinez.
"I Leave You My Portrait" includes paintings and sculptures, as well as an interactive dresser, a "spirit of Frida" sitting area, and contemporary clothing with Frida flair, all made by the group's 11 Phoenix-based artists including Kathy Cano-Murillo, Leticia de la Vara, Anita Mabante Leach, Carmen Guerrero, April Edwards, Emily Costello, Lucia Madrid, Annalisa Rios, Monique Sanderson-Mata, Michele Delgado, and Gloria Casillas-Martinez.
All the art displayed in the exhibit are the Phoenix Fridas' own renditions and inspirations from the works of Frida.
Cano-Murillo (aka Crafty Chica) will be showing a series of acrylic paintings entitled Dressing Frida, which she says depicts what she would have chosen to dress Frida in if she had been given the chance.
"We don't want to copy what she did. It's her spirit and our own interpretation," says Cano-Murillo.
While the show is up for a month, the women note that the big party will be July 9 -- Frida's birthday. There will be a fiesta at the gallery with cake, a Frida look-a-like contest, and music and spoken word performed by anyone who would like to participate.
Yvonne Torres, spokesperson for Vision Gallery, says there will also be three days of children's workshops in which members of Phoenix Fridas will be teaching Frida-inspired crafts.
The Phoenix Fridas have been together for 5 years. Cano-Murillo says creating this exhibit pushed each member to stop and think about why they are in the group and to reflect upon who they are and where their inspirations come from.
Vision Gallery is at 10 East Chicago Street in Chandler. Admission is free. The exhibit will be on display through July 30.
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