Inside The New York Botanical Garden
Frida Kahlo
Posted in Children's Education on November 25 2015, by Celia Baldwin
Celia Baldwin is a GreenSchool Educator at The New York Botanical Garden.
The Frida Kahlo exhibition that graced the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory from May until October offered visiting GreenSchool students an inspiring way to get inside the head of a wildly talented artist, and make some revealing connections—and art—of their own. As students entered the vivid Casa Azul and strolled alongside the shiny green Swiss cheese plants, smelled the sweet bougainvillea, and examined sunset-hued marigolds and sunflowers up close, they responded with smiles to the color, texture, and forms they noticed. When they saw the papaya-colored pyramid adorned with cacti and succulents, they looked closely, and tried not to touch. This was not some sleepy garden show their teachers were bringing them to, but something bold and fun and relatable.
On October 23, a group of students from Waldwick High School in New Jersey came to view the exhibition with Spanish teacher Vanessa Monell. Their goal was to immerse themselves in the living world of Frida Kahlo after being introduced to her life story in the weeks since school began in September. These high schoolers said they were drawn to Frida’s story of suffering and fortitude, of her strong need to define her life on her own terms and to find a way to communicate her emotional intensity through art.
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Posted in Programs and Events on October 30 2015, by Vilina Phan
FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life concludes this weekend–if you have yet to catch the blockbuster exhibition, hurry and grab your tickets before it’s too late! And what better way to celebrate the great artist then by honoring her heritage with grand Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) festivities? Live performances from The Villalobos Brothers and Los Chinelos de Morelos can be seen on the Conservatory Lawn. The stilt-walkers of Los Zancudos de Zaachila, presented by Laura Anderson Barbata, will be roaming the grounds, surprising and delighting all. Inside the Conservatory, see a beautiful ofrenda, or altar, paying homage to Kahlo. Fun activities can be found throughout the grounds, such as face painting and a mask-making workshop!
And let’s not forget, it is Halloween weekend—come see North America’s largest pumpkin alongside other prize-winning gourds. Marvel at the intricate giant pumpkin carving of Ray Villafane and his team—based on a satirical illustration by Jose Guadalupe Posada in the 20th century.
This is the weekend to come if you haven’t seen Frida. And if you have, come again and celebrate the Dead of the Dead with us!
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Posted in Photography on October 29 2015, by Matt Newman
Our Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) festivities continue all this weekend with live music, food, dance, face painting, and all the colorful trappings of this important—and fun!—holiday. This is the closing weekend of our FRIDA KAHLO exhibition, so don’t sit home!
Face Painting in the Perennial Garden – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Posted in Programs and Events on October 23 2015, by Vilina Phan
FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life goes out on a particularly high note in its closing weekends, with a bevy of exciting Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) activities! Live performances from Calpulli Danza Mexicana, Jarana Beat, and The Villalobos Brothers with Los Chinelos de Morelos dancers take over the Conservatory lawn and steps throughout the weekend. Giant skeletons, La Catrina puppets, and Los Zancudos de Zaachila stilt dancers will be roaming the Garden for all to enjoy. In addition see the Day of the Dead ofrenda, or altar, honoring Kahlo in the Conservatory, and Humberto Spíndola‘s The Two Fridas come alive (literally) in the Library Rotunda. You’ll also have fun with hands-on activities such as mask-making and face painting.
And because Halloween is right around the corner, we are pleased to welcome back master carver Ray Villafane, who will carve a giant pumpkin inspired by the Day of the Dead. Come watch, and enter for a chance to win a carving from the master himself.
Come to the Garden this weekend and celebrate a wonderful Mexican tradition with us!
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Posted in History on October 21 2015, by Sarah Henkind
In celebration of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, on the weekends of October 24 & 25 and October 31 & November 1, Bronx-based artist Lucrecia Novoa and the Mascaraviva puppeteers parade her giant skeleton and La Catrina puppets throughout the Garden. Inspired by both the traditional and modern representations of the skeletal character, Lucrecia’s puppets—made especially for this occasion—provide the perfect photo opportunity and interactive experience. Catch them wandering throughout the Garden from 12 to 4 p.m.!
But who is La Catrina? The referential image of death in Mexico, it is common to see La Catrina featured in Día de los Muertos celebrations, where death is treated with familiarity and hospitality instead of dread.
La Catrina was originally drawn as a satirical cartoon (1910–1913) by famous Mexican printmaker and illustrator Jose Guadalupe Posada. The etching was intended to make fun of Mexican elite who were adopting European fashion and attitudes. Named “La Calavera Garbancera,” the image was meant to represent the large gap between social classes, and was inspired by Mictecacihuatl, the Aztec goddess of death and Lady of Mictlan, the underworld.
Here is an image of Posado’s La Calavera Oaxaqueña, which is similar in style to the Catrina:
Here is a sneak peak at Lucrecia’s interpretation of Catrina:
Posada’s creation might have given La Catrina her form, but it was Diego Rivera, muralist, and husband of Frida Kahlo, who named her. Diego’s mural, “Sueño de una tarde dominical en la Alameda Centra (Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central)” (1946–1948), features an image of Catrina right in the middle of the artwork, next to Frida. Because of Diego’s popularity, La Catrina rose to fame, and is a now iconic representation of the Mexican willingness to embrace death- and to even laugh at it. After all, there is something a bit humorous, if also a tad creepy, about a skeleton dressed in opulent fashion. Images and more information on the mural can be found here.
We do hope you will come out to celebrate the lives of loved deceased ones, especially Frida Kahlo, as we prepare to say goodbye to the exhibition on November 1!
Posted in Programs and Events on October 21 2015, by Lansing Moore
This weekend NYBG is thrilled to welcome back the Master Carver himself, Ray Villafane, who will once again lead our annual Giant Pumpkin Carving Weekend with a live demonstration of his remarkable skills and daily Q&A sessions with his team of carvers—with a special twist in honor of Día de los Muertos!
This year’s larger-than-life pumpkin tableau will represent this traditional holiday from Mexico and will remain on display alongside the largest pumpkins in North America—some weighing more than a ton—as part of the Giant Pumpkin Display from October 24 through November 1. It’s all part of the first Día de los Muertos Weekend on October 24 & 25! Click through to view details about this special weekend celebration and see more photos of the programs and activities to come.
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Posted in Programs and Events on October 8 2015, by Lansing Moore
From the first day of FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life, we have been awestruck by the stellar Frida-inspired looks displayed by our visitors. Kahlo aficionados of all ages and from all over have flocked to the Garden in flower crowns, colorful shawls, and long skirts, entering the reimagined Casa Azul in the Haupt Conservatory while evoking the iconic artist. Without any prompting, many of the record number of visitors to see this show have put in impressive effort to make this a singular and heartwarming moment in the Garden’s nearly 125-year history.
To reward the enthusiasm of the art- and garden-lovers attending this exhibition, NYBG has held a series of Frida Look-Alike Contests during select evening events throughout the six-month run of FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life. Thursday, October 22, is your last chance to participate in—or simply admire—these joyous and festive evenings of creative display. Register today for a chance to show off your best Frida and win a gift bag from NYBG Shop. An Honorable Mention will go out to whomever best incorporates an homage to Día de los Muertos in their outfit.
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Posted in Programs and Events on October 8 2015, by Matt Newman
Autumn for families in the Garden is one of the most colorful times of year to stop by, from the changing leaves in the Forest to our much-loved tradition of giant pumpkin carving in late October. And new this year, we’re taking things a step further with a full schedule of fall FRIDA KAHLO programming geared toward families who’re looking for something more than the average Halloween outing!
Take a break from the haunted houses and join NYBG in the coming weeks for some of the most lively Día de los Muertos activities you’ll find in New York.
Kids and adults alike are welcome at the Garden in late October, when we highlight the Mexican Day of the Dead with two festive weekends of stilt-dancers, live music, food, and fun for all ages—with events throughout the garden on October 24, 25, 31, and November 1. Our first Día de los Muertos Weekend also happens to feature a fan-favorite in Ray Villafane, who returns to the Garden with his team of artists for two days of live pumpkin carving—some of the biggest and heaviest gourds in the country!—creating creepy creatures inspired by traditional calaveras characters.
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Posted in Programs and Events on September 28 2015, by Lansing Moore
Fall brings fresh air, vibrant color, and seasonal activities for the whole family at NYBG this year as part of the final month of FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life. Come celebrate the season and experience this blockbuster exhibition before it closes on November 1 with Frida al Fresco Evenings, Día de los Muertos Weekends, and Halloween activities for the whole family—including the annual Giant Pumpkin Display!
Only five Frida al Fresco evenings remain during the last month of FRIDA KAHLO. Be transported to the world of Frida Kahlo’s Mexico City during a crisp fall evening at NYBG for an unforgettable escape. On select Thursday and Friday evenings in October, the Garden remains open until 11 p.m. with live music, cocktails, and more to enhance your experience of the Casa Azul in the Conservatory and Kahlo’s rare works in the Art Gallery.
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Posted in Photography on September 8 2015, by Matt Newman
FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life won’t disappear with summer—it continues into fall, ending on November 1! Have you seen the exhibition yet?
The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory – Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
The Frida Kahlo exhibition that graced the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory from May until October offered visiting GreenSchool students an inspiring way to get inside the head of a wildly talented artist, and make some revealing connections—and art—of their own. As students entered the vivid Casa Azul and strolled alongside the shiny green Swiss cheese plants, smelled the sweet bougainvillea, and examined sunset-hued marigolds and sunflowers up close, they responded with smiles to the color, texture, and forms they noticed. When they saw the papaya-colored pyramid adorned with cacti and succulents, they looked closely, and tried not to touch. This was not some sleepy garden show their teachers were bringing them to, but something bold and fun and relatable.
