Artistic License

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“Smoke and Mirrors” at Museo Frida Kahlo.

Bold creations and unabashed expressionism are on display across the country at these top fall exhibits.

By Lisa Marie Hart

When the weather turns crisp, there’s nothing quite like a day wandering through a big city museum or strolling through neighborhood galleries to warm the artistic spirit. From evocative new artists and visionary multimedia shows to iconic exhibits by renowned painters and esteemed photographers, the lineup of fall shows for 2013 across the U.S. is worth taking note. These masters of their mediums—be it a fashion designer, sculptor or textile genius—can shape perspectives as they offer art aficionados a glimpse of the world through their eyes.

“Smoke and Mirrors” at Museo Frida Kahlo.
“Smoke and Mirrors” at Museo Frida Kahlo.

“Smoke and Mirrors: Frida Kahlo’s Dresses” | Through January 2014; Museo Frida Kahlo, Mexico City
A city enamored with cultural heritage, Mexico City is home to more than 160 museums and another 100 galleries. While it dates back to the Aztecs and preserves buildings from the 16th century, Mexico City celebrates art in all forms through the eras. Even so, the country has a well-defined soft spot for its own Frida Kahlo. The Museo Frida Kahlo welcomes approximately 25,000 visitors each month inside the artist’s former home. Kahlo’s life and work find harmony here, where her paintings and personal possessions are displayed under one roof. Those personal items take on new meaning in “Smoke and Mirrors: Frida Kahlo’s Dresses,” the first exhibition in this location to focus on her wardrobe. Discovered in 2004, the inspired garments and their traditional styles and ethnic motifs invite guests to ponder the artist’s use of fashion to convey her identity, her ideals and even her political convictions. (52-55-5554-5999; museofridakahlo.org.mx)