Mexican Geniuses brings a mind-blowing Mexican art adventure to Dock X, London.
The “A Frida & Diego Immersive Experience” exhibition explores the vibrant art of Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera, an iconic Mexican couple of artists known as the most famous and prolific Mexican painters of the 20th century.
What sets this exhibition apart is the use of immersive, video-mapping technology and VR software. Video mapping is a tech innovation that allows artists to overlap video on irregular surfaces, such as a building or table.
They create a 3D impression on the surface, so the outside observer believes the video-mapped surface is painted.
In the case of the Mexican Geniuses exhibition, participants will engage with more than 300 projections that range from miniature-sized to monumental all around the walls.
The immersive room projects the artist’s most beautiful works in a light and sound show promising to blow away visitors with 360 VR.
The exhibition has a Day of the Dead VR section.
“Travel to the After Life and celebrate the Day of the Dead in a world inspired by their works of art”.
The exposition is surrealistic, which is fitting enough given Frida Kahlo’s preferred art style.
Structurally, the immersive experience is separated into different rooms in a non-linear walkthrough describing the lives of the two artists and their most famous paintings, including recreations of Frida’s corset and wheelchair.
Pages from Frida’s diary are featured across several walls, including famous quotes said by the artist. It also addresses Diego Rivera’s emotionally abusive behavior.
The immersive experience doesn’t feature any original pieces from the artists, though.
The introductory rooms feature the art and biographic retelling of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s tumultuous marriage, divorce, and remarriage.
Immersive experiences have been widely considered a post-lockdown art trend. Many of them are curated by a team of art historians, stage designers, and multimedia producers.
At the end of the tour, a merchandise gift shop will feature artwork displayed in the exhibition for sale.
At a macro level, Mexican Geniuses is the first multi-sensory immersive exhibition on the pair, and serves as a living celebration of art.
It’s set to be taken on tour worldwide so that people in other countries can learn about the life and work of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
London was chosen as the starting point for the exhibition because Mexico and the UK have a “great relationship of appreciation,” as per Josefa González-Blanco, Mexico’s ambassador to the UK.
The entire tour through the exhibition takes around sixty to seventy-five minutes, and tickets start at £19.90. The show is available for people of all ages.
