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About the project
While Frida Kahlo’s artistic identity is often linked to Casa Azul in Coyoacán, a new museum—Museo Casa Kahlo—shifts attention to Casa Roja, the nearby family home where her story began. This residence, once owned by her parents and later shared with her sisters, including Cristina, serves as the foundation for a deeper exploration of the household that shaped her life and work.
The project was developed under the guidance of Mara Romeo Kahlo, Frida’s great-niece and closest living heir, and is led by the Fundación Kahlo, a nonprofit established by the family to preserve her legacy while supporting Mexican, Indigenous, and Latin American art and culture.
Pentagram designed the identity, signage, and exhibition graphics to create an immersive experience that brings visitors closer to Frida’s world. The studio collaborated with the Kahlo family, curator Adriana Miranda, creative director Ileen Gallagher, architect Mariana Doet Zepeda Orozco—who adapted the home into a museum—and Rockwell Group, responsible for the courtyard and lower-level displays.
Positioned as the origin point of Frida’s creative journey, Casa Roja highlights the influence of her father, Guillermo Kahlo, whose work as a photographer supported her early artistic development. The home remained within the family until 2023, long after Frida’s death in 1954.
The museum experience closely mirrors the environment of the house during her lifetime. Rooms are furnished with original family belongings, allowing visitors to move through spaces such as the courtyard, garden, and an introductory gallery before entering areas dedicated to different family members.
Key spaces include Guillermo’s darkroom, the kitchen—home to the only mural Frida ever painted—the bathroom, and Cristina’s bedroom. Exhibitions also explore Frida’s personal style through garments and jewelry, as well as her work as a teacher, featuring pieces by her students, known as Los Fridos. Another section highlights La Ayuda, a charitable initiative founded by Cristina to support single mothers in the community.
The visual identity is built around a range of red tones, combined with typography influenced by Mexican modernism and a custom typeface derived from Frida’s own handwriting, developed with type designer Connor Davenport. The wordmark features expressive, hand-crafted forms, while illustrated icons of a deer and a Xoloitzcuintli—animals closely associated with Frida—add a personal dimension.
Exhibition graphics and signage are carefully integrated into the home’s interiors, enhancing the experience without overwhelming it. Frida’s words appear embroidered on curtains, and in the bathroom, a projection inside the bathtub references her painting “What the Water Gave Me,” creating a subtle narrative layer within the space.
Promotional materials extend this intimate approach, incorporating archival family photographs—such as a 1926 image of Frida in the courtyard—alongside the bold typographic identity. Pentagram also designed a range of merchandise featuring recurring motifs, including the animal icons and the address “Aguayo 54,” reinforcing the personal and historical significance of the site.
