Frida Kahlo's family home in Mexico City opens as Museo Casa Kahlo
The museum dedicated to the life and work of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo has expanded into the former home of her sister, where exhibitions designed by Rockwell Group offer glimpses into the artist's private life.
The residence in Mexico City known as Casa Roja has been transformed into a museum by architect Mariana Doet Zepeda Orozco, with experience and exhibit design by Rockwell Group, and graphic design and creative direction by Pentagram and Ileen Gallagher.
Now named Museo Casa Kahlo, the space is operated by Fundación Kahlo and contains an array of personal artifacts — handwritten letters, photographs, clothing and more — that "tell the untold story of Frida's day-to-day life".
"The house tells the previously untold story of Frida as a daughter, sister, aunt, and friend, outside of the confines of her life as a partner to Diego Rivera," said Rockwell Group.
Casa Roja was originally purchased by Kahlo's parents, before the artist bought the home for her sister and her family as an easily accessible retreat close to her own home, Casa Azul.
The red-painted building was passed down through generations until it was entrusted to Frida's grandniece Mara Romeo, who resided there until 2023.
This was also the space in which Frida and her sister set up La Ayuda, a non-profit organisation created to help single mothers.
Aiming to paint a picture of the artist's private life, relationships and early inspirations, Rockwell Group designed the exhibitions in the home's courtyard and basement.
"Our scope includes the visitor arrival experience, the entry garden and the basement space — a recreation of the room that served as Frida's hidden studio — never seen by the public," said the studio.
"Filled with Frida's various collections, ephemera, and paints, it's an evocative focal point of the museum."
Visitors enter the museum from the street, where the former driveway is converted into a hallway with a ticketing desk fabricated by artisans in Guadalajara and historical photographs that line the walls.
The courtyard beyond was restored based on family photos, which included rebuilding a curved corner stair that was previously lost.
Ceramics sourced from across Mexico are used as planters, while a hand-carved Cantera Stone pot holds a grapefruit tree that's the subject of Frida's mural in the home's kitchen.
A series of galleries and restored rooms – including the darkroom of her father, Guillermo – lead to a set of stairs that descend into the basement where the artist's "hidden retreat" has been recreated.
"Here, Frida was free to write, paint, think, and sketch in a safe and intimate environment," said Rockwell Group. "Guests will feel [her] spirit and her creative energy."
The candlelit room includes personal objects like dolls and a bug collection, furniture and textiles, and her desk, paints and paintings.
The LAB at Rockwell Group produced an interactive replica of her microscope that allows visitors to observe the same specimens as Frida studied.
Kahlo, who died in 1954, is one of Mexico's most celebrated artists and her work has inspired countless contemporaries.
A portion of Casa Azul was recreated for an exhibition at London's V&A museum, titled Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up, in 2018.
The photography is by Rafael Gamo, unless stated otherwise.
Project credits:
Creative director: Ileen Gallagher, Fundación Kahlo
Branding and exhibition graphics: Pentagram
Chief curator: Adriana Miranda
Architect: Mariana Doet Zepeda Orozco
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