VMFA to honor artist Frida Kahlo’s work, Mexican heritage with ¡FridaFest!

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Celebrate the work and Mexican heritage of Frida Kahlo at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art's (VMFA) upcoming "¡FridaFest!" event.

Frida Kahlo, born in 1907, was a Mexican artist who is best known for her self-portraits. She is seen by many as a trailblazer due to the cultural norms she broke during her lifetime. Her works married traditional Mexican culture with the out-of-the-box ideas she had about not just art, but also the world around her. Feminist ideals and societal critiques can be found in many of her paintings.

According to a VMFA press release, ¡FridaFest! will run from 1 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, coinciding with the opening day of the museum's new "Friday: Beyond The Myth" exhibition. The event is free and open to the public.

¡FridaFest! will feature live music provided by a variety of local artists, food and drink, artist demonstrations, a photo booth and more.

Richmond DJ Ray-Ray will play traditional Mexican music, as well as reggae, merengue, salsa, bachata, cumbia and plena, according to the VMFA. Bio Ritmo, Mariachi America RVA, Mexican Folk Jerocho and Miramar will also perform live.

Food and drink will be provided by several vendors, including Con Salsa Venezuela, La Doña Cocina Mexicana, La Guelaguetza, Taqueria Panchit, Dulceria Minilandia and La Michoacana. Those 21 and over will be able to purchase margaritas from Best Café inside the museum, which will also have a specialty menu for the event.

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Jeannine Diego and VCUarts students will demonstrate backstrap loom weaving, Michelle Israel will paint on canvas and Diego Sanchez will paint a mural on a wood panel.

Guests will also be able to take some art of their own home. Studio Two Three, a local art studio, will host a screen-printing workshop from their mobile print truck at the museum during ¡FridaFest!, allowing visitors to make their own prints.

The Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (VHCC) partnered with the VMFA to make ¡FridaFest! a reality.

“¡FridaFest! and Frida: Beyond the Myth will offer unique opportunities to engage with Frida Kahlo’s art and heritage and to see the profound impact she’s had across the globe,” said Michel Zajur, CEO and founder of the VHCC. “VMFA has long been a beacon of cultural enrichment in the Commonwealth. As the Chamber celebrates our 25th anniversary this year, we are thrilled to work with such a renowned institution to continue creating meaningful cultural experiences for our diverse community.” 

For more information on ¡FridaFest!, click here.