By Chicago Times Magazine –

January 20, 2025

The Art Institute of Chicago will present “Frida Kahlo’s Month in Paris: A Friendship with Mary Reynolds” from March 29 to July 13, 2025. This marks the first exhibition of Frida Kahlo’s work organized by the Art Institute and focuses on her pivotal 1939 stay in Paris.

The exhibition explores Kahlo’s time in the home of Mary Reynolds, an American avant-garde bookbinder whose residence served as a hub for the city’s artistic community. Featuring 100 objects, the show includes seven of Kahlo’s significant self-portraits, letters documenting her Paris experiences, book bindings, works on paper, photographs, and more. These items are drawn from public and private collections across the United States, Mexico, and Europe, as well as the Art Institute’s own Mary Reynolds Collection.

The exhibition illuminates Kahlo’s rise as an international artist and her meeting with Reynolds, a notable artist in her own right, known for her innovative book bindings. Invited by Reynolds to recover at her home after falling ill, Kahlo found new inspiration in the unique environment shared by Reynolds and her partner, Marcel Duchamp. Their home was filled with their own art and works by close friends and artists.

Beyond Kahlo and Reynolds’ works, the exhibition also features art created for Reynolds by artists who frequented her home and welcomed Kahlo into their circle, including Man Ray, Yves Tanguy, and Constantin Brâncuși.