Excitement Surrounds Frida Kahlo’s Work at MALBA

On Thursday afternoon, the Museum of Latin American Art (MALBA) was packed with visitors eager to see the new exhibition, which features the star attraction: *Diego and I*—a record-breaking painting acquired for $35 million.
Eduardo Costantini, accompanied by his wife, Elina Fernández Fantacci, arrived at the museum’s auditorium at 6:00 p.m. to discuss the origins of this world-renowned institution and the acquisition of the Frida Kahlo piece. The Mexican artist painted *Diego and I* (1949), which was purchased by MALBA last year for nearly $35 million.
The exhibition is overseen by the museum’s chief curator, Marita García, who also guides visitors through the various works on display. In an intimate, secluded, and beautifully presented gallery, one finds the new Kahlo piece—a self-portrait showing the artist’s tear-streaked face, with a portrait of her husband, Diego Rivera, appearing on her forehead, just above her eyebrows. Nearby hangs another of her works, *Self-Portrait with Monkey and Parrot* (1942).
In *Diego and I*, Kahlo employs this symbolic element to represent her admiration for Diego’s intelligence and wisdom; his placement on her forehead signifies that he is at the forefront of her thoughts, while her tears reflect the pain caused by her partner’s infidelities and indiscretions.
The exhibition also features photographs capturing key moments in the life of the celebrated Mexican painter. Dozens of visitors move through the space, taking photos and videos—without the use of flash—to document this historic acquisition.
Seated in the front row of the auditorium, Mexican Ambassador Lilia Rossbach Suárez listened attentively to Eduardo Costantini; she later spoke with *Modo Fontevecchia* following the interview with the museum’s founder.

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