Performance review: Gregorio Luke’s 'Frida, a New Look' at Ford Ampitheatre

Beguiling Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is easy to love, and further, to fetishize. Her distinctive color-drenched canvases, crammed with autobiographical lore from her tragedy-strewn life, tug the eye and the heart. This well-seasoned mix has spawned Kahlo cult-figure status.

We depend on experts like Gregorio Luke, former director of Long Beach’s Museum of Latin American Art, to provide dispassionate insight to temper the hype, and distinguish the artist from the myth.

Viewers had no such benefit from the art historian’s illustrated lecture, “Frida, a New Look,” at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre on Friday night. (The program repeats on Saturday.) Designed as a “living memory of Frida Kahlo, to bring her alive,” Luke’s latest edition of his giant-screened revamps of the stodgy art talk canonizes the woman he admiringly calls “that most Mexican of artists” who “in spite of her suffering, built an art that was authentic and came from the hearts of the Mexican people.”

“There are art historians who never consider the artist’s life. I cannot separate her life from her work,” says Luke, somewhat defiantly, and these words guide his ambitious presentation to its detriment. Luke’s hybrid form of entertainment – neither annotated art lecture nor cathartic evening of fun – suffers from over zeal for his subject.

New, unseen works, both portraits and landscapes, pepper the presentation. But they zoom by, practically unnamed, as though the audience wouldn't care to examine them, much less know details like titles or years.

And they’re lost in a tour that emphasizes Kahlo’s sordid suffering -- her crippling trolley accident, the humiliations of marriage to the philandering Diego Rivera, her debilitating string of unsuccessful surgeries. A marvelous early portrait of Rivera, Kahlo’s lifelong subject and foil, inspires Luke’s commentary that “a portrait like this could only come from love.” A more painterly analysis of why scholars and critics now figure Kahlo's portraits among the greats of art history would lend more insight. 

Reinforcing the mystique around Kahlo, the woman, is Luke's fascination for her fashion statements (one of her real dresses hangs in a glass display case on the Ford’s picnic grounds), and his claim that Kahlo, who dressed in both mannish suits and the feminine folkloric rebozo, invested as much energy into her persona as her art. This well-shared interpretation insidiously devalues her art.

Previously unseen film footage is also on view. A fetching black-and-white film shows Kahlo sketching, an extraordinarily beautiful woman, jet-black hair coiled in neat braids under a chic hat that hugs her small head. But there we go again, lapsing into Kahlo-mania! 

Local area students from Central Los Angeles High School #9 joined four visiting performers from Mexico’s Taller Coreografico de la Unam in a show-opening danced homage. Mexican dance maker Gloria Contreras’s symmetrical choreography has a dated, unadventurous feel, but Olga Rodriguez excelled in her expressive, “Magdalena.” Rina Lazo and Arturo García Bustos, two of Kahlo’s surviving students (“Los Fridos”) contributed memories. The crowd’s many happy Frida-ites, some in colorful costume, circulated the Ford grounds.

-- Debra Levine

Gregorio Luke at the "Ford: Frida, a New Look," John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, Saturday, 8 p.m.

Photos: Gregorio Luke, in front of a portrait of Frida Kahlo, and Central Los Angeles High School No. 9 with Mexican dancer Alfredo Garcia. Credit: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times.

Comments

[Mary Butler]

We must have been at different shows. I dont agree with any of the reviewers comments. The talk was wonderful. Really very engaging. And left me appreciating BOTH art AND artist. The preshow dancing waiting for the sun to go down was beautiful. And the involvement of the young students, dream act kids, and 80 year old student of Frida telling us about witnessing her paint the broken column, the reason for the shroud, and how he placed the flag personally on her coffin leaves was beyond what I was expecting. Add to that the amazingly economically and ethnically diverse crowd, and gorgeous setting of the Ford, and it was quite a magical evening. Looking at your blog it seems like you review mainly dance? Perhaps thats the disconnect.

[Rebecca Zapanta]

Gregorio Luke, being an expert in Mexican Art, had done a great job in presenting Frida Kahlo in my perspective. As you mentioned in this article, each slide was defined in greater detail in attempts to depict Frida's creativity. Even though Gregorio went though the individual slides fairly quickly, he did not forget to mention that "a moment of silence to view." In essence, particular years and titles do not reflect on Gregorio fine expert work in Mexican Art. The expert that Gregorio is, has shown many about the culture of Mexico which attracts beautiful audiences from all walks of life. Unless you, as a staff writer, has background knowledge of Mexican Art or art in general, then you could be able to criticize through your writings, but it is completely inconsiderate of your to criticize such a fine art experts as Gregorio Luke.

[Alejandra Fuentes]

I disagree with this information.

[Liz Murillo]

After reading the review above, I felt the need to comment on the review. Not only did I enjoy the lecture; I also enjoyed the entire program. I was captivated by Gregorio Luke, the dance performances, and the guest speakers. It was truly an enjoyable evening.

[Maribel Soria]

My experience at this event was quite different. I was very excited to be in attendance with a group of about 20 high school students. I had anticipated that this event would be one they could learn from and leave feeling inspired, and I was not disappointed. Gregorio Luke is being criticized for not being able to separate Frida, the artist from the myth however by providing the audience with an insight to her life he does a great job at doing just that. It is impossible to separate Frida the person, from Frida the artist because as she stated “I painted my own reality.” To better understand her rich legacy of paintings it is necessary that one learn about the physical suffering and isolation that lead her to reach out to the world in the form of art and that is exactly what Gregorio Luke was able to do in his presentation. I particularly enjoyed his celebration of Frida as the “most Mexican of artists” because I felt that my students were able to take that thought with them and be able to better embrace their own culture without fear or shame

[Jacob Barrera]

From a student’s point of view, the exhibition portraying Frida Kahlo as one of the “most Mexican of artists” truly opened my eyes, not only to the suffering that Frida endured all of her life, but also to the time, patience, and determination she infused within all of her paintings. Prior to the opening of the show, dancing troops lit up the stage and disappoint they did not. The second dance that involved the three dancers dressed in silver truly allowed me to experience a catharsis of sorrow, for they took the audience on a rollercoaster ride that allowed them to feel only a fragment of the pain that Frida experienced her entire life. As for Gregorio Luke’s ability to portray the life and times of Frida Kahlo, I would have to say that he did a remarkable job. It is true that he rushed through some slides, as some other comments have suggested, yet by allowing a simple glimpse into the pain, passion, and sorrow of Frida’s painting, one is left wondering about the social impact her paintings truly had on an entire generation.

[Lilia Lamas]

This review missed the entire point of Mr. Luke's presentations. The greatest thing about the way Gregorio Luke presents his subject is that it's not art historical data that is just droned off but an interesting view into the artists' life and their work, flavored with great anecdotes and quotes. Something that is rare, interesting and educational all at the same time. The audience leaves feeling like we knew these historical figures and with a broad knowledge and understanding of their work.

[Lyndee Knox]

One can't Ms. Debra Levine for not understanding what she witnessed the other night at the Ford. After all, she is part of the same arts establishment in our country that is currently languishing, unable to attract audiences and unable to capture the imagination or engage the majority of our society.

Gregorio Luke is a popularizer. In the tradition of Sagan and Campbell and Sister Wendy. Someone who makes the art and artist available and real, and helps us see ourselves in the artists' lives and their work. What he promotes is a different vision. Art as a social event. As a gathering place for humanity. The cultural campfire around which one tells of great adventures, and deeds and conflicts. On these counts, Ms. Levine is unfortunately tone deaf. She misses the point of the evening entirely.

Otherwise how can you explain her failure to reflect on the marvelous partnership between High School #9 students and one of the leading dance companies from Latin America? Partnerships like these are our future. Or the fact that you had a packed house, of diverse participants from through out LA - from South Gate, and Hollenbeck and Boyle Heights and other places.

In his role on Friday night, Mr. Luke was an art biographer. Believing an individual must connect with the person of the artist to understand their art. Believing the life and person of the artist is as interesting and inspiring as the art itself. The type of scholarly or as she terms it painterly discourse Ms. Levine advocates for is readily available in any museum and university and is an important and legitimate offering. But one needs only to attend one of these to see how unsuccessful they have been in engaging a young and diverse public.

Foundations through out the country are now stepping in, attempting to do what our museums, cultural institutions and scholars have failed to do: reengage entire generations and communities that are being lost to the arts. There is a new conversation today about the cultural vitality of communities and what it will take to restore it, especially in minority and low-income communities where there is often a profound need for inspiration. New ideas, and new approaches are needed. Not more of the same.

No, Ms Levine, I disagree with you. What we need is more of the human story, not less; more not less passionate discourse; and more individuals like Gregorio Luke who understand this.

[Kaye Feist]

If you would like to see reviews from actual audience members who attended the Frida event, go to goldstar and read what audience members had to say. They all gave the event the highest rating possible - 4 stars. Very different from this LA Times reviewer.

Here's the link to audience comments: http://www.goldstar.com/events/hollywood-ca/frida-a-new-look.html?reviews=all

[Patricia Mace]

Yesterday, early morning on Chan 36, Los Angeles, I caught accidently for the second time, a super program - an homage to Frida Kahlo.
I LOVED it, and am planning to go to Mexico City to see the houses /museums.
I love both Frida's and Diego's art work. I love her style.

I had no idea who Gregorio Luke was, but loved his enthusiasm and passion.

If I want another point of view, then I can seek it elsewhere.
I may, once in a while, read a critic's point of view, but I NEVER plan my life around one.
Debra Levine has her negative account of what must have been a lovely evening, and I don't agree with it at all.

Unfortunately, for some reason, people tend to listen to critics, and the arts can suffer greatly.