The air, heavy and fragrant wraps around you like a blanket and transports you to a different time, location and climate. You are in the subtropical terrain of Mexico, the lush courtyard garden of Frida Kahlo’s house, known as Casa Azul by way of the New York Botanical Garden’s new exhibition Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life. In part one of my romp through Frida’s garden we are given a glimpse at the elemental bliss contained here through a special collection of heirloom jewelry pieces by KC Sukamto. Drawing inspiration from Frida’s life and work KC’s intricately detailed and refined yet wildly exotic pieces contain the unique stylistic hybrid of Frida’s iconic body of work. Each piece is a brilliant reflection of Frida’s symbolically rich garden through stone selection, color and form. Columbian emeralds evoke the lush greens and majestic cactuses, pink sapphires and rubies the fuchsia blossoms, the opal speaks to the water moments and the onyx the black lagoon. The attention to detail is exquisite, prongs holding the Australian opal are spiked mimicking the succulents and the tear shaped amethyst evoke the Elephant-Ear leaves. Imbued in the designs is the long tradition of nature used both symbolically and allegorically throughout art history. The culmination is a magical mix of cultures, aesthetics and ideas, rare treasures that contain the source of inspiration art and life.
All jewelry: KC Sukamto Magdalena Collection, Madia Earrings, Flora Ring, Majeste Ring, Espine Ring, Madia Bracelet, Vika Gazinskaya flouncy top, Face Stockholm lipstick in Matte Sangria, Jin Soon nail polish in Pop Orange
New York Botanical Garden, Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life
Hair Collage by Cosma De Marinis, Makeup by Samantha Jozic, Photographs by Jason Gringler