South Australia
The design of the exhibition Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution reflects the passion of the artists and their love and their beliefs, as encapsulated by their artwork.
The design is unashamedly bold and stimulating and pays homage to Frida and Diego’s life in art and in the artistic community they constructed around themselves. As designers, our aim is to reflect the story of the artists by means of a carefully considered exhibition design and to enrich the connection between an artist’s works – in this instance, Frida and Diego and some of their contemporaries – their story, the viewer and the space.
With no Australian gallery owning works by either Frida Kahlo or Diego Rivera, this momentous exhibition offered Australian audiences access for the first time to such a comprehensive collection of paintings, photographs, clothing and illustrations by Frida, Diego and other Mexican modernists.
Award for Small Project Architecture
The exhibition “Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution” for the Art Gallery of South Australia is a vibrant testament to the passion, love and beliefs encapsulated in Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s art. Bold and inspiring, the design honours the artists’ lives and their artistic community.
The project transformed the gallery space into a culturally immersive and vibrant homage to mid-century Mexico. The team successfully captured the essence of Frida and Diego’s artistic world through use of bright colours, textures and strategic lighting, to enhance the narrative and engage visitors on a deeper level. Creative reuse of materials from previous exhibitions, with the intention for reuse on future exhibitions, demonstrated sustainability.
The bold architectural features, attention to detail and celebration of the artists helped draw record crowds to the exhibition and delivered an iconic experience.
Commendation for City of Adelaide Prize
This vibrant exhibition showcased a strong collaborative approach between architects, curators and collection representatives. GGA’s vision resulted in a meaningful and immersive experience. A walking trail in the city developed with the Adelaide Economic Development Agency, raised awareness and fostered visitation by a larger audience. We acknowledge the success of this exhibition as a cultural drawcard to Adelaide and applaud the team’s vision.
The exhibition Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution provided a unique opportunity for AGSA to collaborate with renowned architecture firm Grieve Gillett Architects to realise a vibrant and dynamic exhibition experience. Combining the expertise of GGA and the curatorial vision of AGSA, the resulting exhibition design created an immersive and evocative environment bringing the essence of mid-century Mexico to Adelaide. This innovative collaboration created a new experience for visitors to the Gallery and undoubtedly added to the outstanding success of the exhibition with audiences from across Australia.
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
