Loved 'Van Gogh'? Now you can immerse yourself in Frida Kahlo's art in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH −Van Gogh hasn't gone just yet.

But now art appreciators also can immerse themselves in a new Pittsburgh exhibit celebrating the works of Frida Kahlo, the trailblazing artist whose work symbolizes female empowerment, individual courage and Mexican pride.

Wall-sized images scroll past and stimulate the mind at "Immersive Frida Kahlo," which opened Saturday at Lighthouse ArtSpace Pittsburgh, a converted warehouse at 720 Lacock St.

That's the same North Side location that hosts the "Interactive Van Gogh" exhibit that's enthralled so many people since opening last October. The show runs several days a week through May 28.

The digital Van Gogh exhibit will continue to run there, interspersed with separate viewings of "Immersive Frida Kahlo," which attendees might feel is the more emotional, dramatic experience.

At a Friday media and VIP preview that included Carlos Obrador Garrido, head consul of the Consulate of Mexico in Philadelphia, speakers hailed Kahlo as an art revolutionary, ahead of her time and brimming with relevancy 68 years after her death.

"This is a beautiful, brilliant show that is incredibly different than the 'Immersive Van Gogh' show, and in some ways very, very similar in the way it tells the story of the artist through the art," Vicente Fusco, co-producer of "Immersive Frida," said.

"Immersive Frida" visitors gather in a large room, and are able to sit on benches, stand or even walk around, as digital projections showcase on floor-to-ceiling canvasses the paintings of Kahlo (1907-1954), who is globally recognized for her art's raw emotional vitality, vibrant colors and bold intimacy.

From parrots, pet monkeys and flowers, to traditional Mexican dresses and stunning landscape vistas, to images of war and pain-filled self-portraits, those images − blending surrealism and magical realism − resonate vividly.

Mexican folk music, pumped through speakers, enhances the mood.

“Frida Kahlo’s work is uniquely suited to be explored in an immersive environment and her life story is equally fascinating,” said Svetlana Dvoretsky, producer of Lighthouse Immersive, the Toronto company that commissioned Italy's renowned digital art, Massimiliano Siccardi, to re-frame Kahlo's work in a digital format.

“Kahlo lived her life as one giant journey of exploration, and her art mirrored that journey," Dvoretsky said in a press release. "Our goal is to give our viewers more than an examination of her work; we also hope they will leave with a richer understanding of the smart, complex woman who created these timeless masterpieces.”

Pittsburgh joins Dallas, Boston, Houston, Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, Toronto and Los Angeles in currently offering "Immersive Frida," which opened with less mystery and fanfare than its immersive predecessor celebrating Vincent van Gogh, the highly influential and popular post-Impressionist painter

“Following on the incredible response to 'Immersive Van Gogh,' we are confident that 'Immersive Frida Kahlo' will take fans on another groundbreaking journey through the mind of one of the world’s most celebrated artists," Vito Iaia, co-founder of Impact Museums, producers of both shows, said.

“The success of 'Immersive Van Gogh' has demonstrated that audiences are excited to experience art in a new way," Lighthouse Immersive producer Corey Ross said. "Our Italian creative team are experts at digitally exploring masterworks in such a way that viewers are not merely passive observers. They obtain an even richer understanding of the artist by seeing the work as its creator might have. "

The digital artist Siccardi presents Kahlo’s works in a format very distinct from the Van Gogh exhibit that drew sizable attendance in more than a dozen North American cities.

“In this piece, we will chase Frida’s world, always in motion,” Siccardi said via press release. “We will discover her tenderness and hostilities by taking in her observations and fantasies. Our hope is that viewers will let themselves be penetrated by Frida’s stories, and in so doing, live vicariously through her.”

Among the works featured are "The Two Fridas," (1939), "The Wounded Deer," (1946), and "Diego and I" (1946), intermingled with drawings and photographs of Kahlo at various ages, plus images of figures and events that influenced her worldview.

Museum-style informational panels in the exhibit's lobby share the biography and historic significance of Kahlo, who was the subject of a 2002 film that earned an Oscar nomination for Salma Hayek.

Born in 1907 in Mexico City. Kahlo overcame polio at age 6, but nearly perished in a bus crash at the age of 18 that broke her spinal column. Confined to her bed, she took up painting and spent countless hours staring at her own image reflected in a mirror overhead.

She began presenting herself as the subject matter of her artwork, channeling her personal struggles into her art.

Kahlo honed her artistic style during travels throughout Mexico and the United States. Individualistic and rebellious, her spirit was torn between the Communist Party and the Mexican Nationalist movement.

Despite her lifelong passion for her husband, Diego Rivera, she is said to have had numerous affairs with other men and women.

Throughout her career, Kahlo touched on the realms of life and death, mixing violence and vulnerability in ways that often shocked viewers by pushing gender norms.

Kahlo’s popularity has grown in recent decades, aided by several well-received biographies. Last November, her “Diego and I” painting sold for $34.9 million dollars, making it the highest valued piece of Latin American artwork.

Ticket prices for "Immersive Frida Kahlo" vary from weekdays and weekends, ranging from $39-$54 for adults; $29-$34 for youths 6-16; with VIP packages from $79-$49, all found at immersive-frida.com/Pittsburgh.

There's valet parking, with limited on-street parking.

The on-site gift shop sells Kahlo-inspired clothing, umbrellas, totes, jewelry and more, plus flowery headwear and children's gifts like stuffed bears. It all shares display space with Van Gogh merchandise.

For more information about "Immersive Frida Kahlo," visit immersive-frida.com, @immersivefrida on Facebook and @fridaimmersive on Instagram.

More: Van Gogh paintings will surround you at Pittsburgh event

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: 'Immersive Frida Kahlo' offers a dramatic adventure in Pittsburgh