CONKLIN: A couple of years ago I was at an American Public Garden conference meeting
CONKLIN: A couple of years ago I was at an American Public Garden conference meeting

and one of my colleagues, Karen Daubmann, who's the vice president of exhibition
and one of my colleagues, Karen Daubmann, who's the vice president of exhibition

for the New York Botanical Garden mentioned to me that they were awaiting to hear
for the New York Botanical Garden mentioned to me that they were awaiting to hear

about a grant award and I said about what?
about a grant award and I said about what?

What kind of grant?
What kind of grant?

And she said well, we're going to mount a Frida Kahlo exhibit, and the minute I heard
And she said well, we're going to mount a Frida Kahlo exhibit, and the minute I heard

that I thought: Tucson needs this.
that I thought: Tucson needs this.

DAUBMANN: We hosted the exhibition May to October 2015 and we had been working
DAUBMANN: We hosted the exhibition May to October 2015 and we had been working

on it for 3 or 4 years in advance.
on it for 3 or 4 years in advance.

We typically do several flower shows each year and we have a 250 acre garden
We typically do several flower shows each year and we have a 250 acre garden

so the venues are spread out, and we were able to secure a National Endowment
so the venues are spread out, and we were able to secure a National Endowment

for the Humanities grant but in order to get that they really want the work that you put
for the Humanities grant but in order to get that they really want the work that you put

into an exhibition to live on and so we immediately started looking for partners,
into an exhibition to live on and so we immediately started looking for partners,

and the Tucson Botanical Garden seemed to be a perfect fit.
and the Tucson Botanical Garden seemed to be a perfect fit.

CONKLIN: And I thought, I don't know how we're going to do this,
CONKLIN: And I thought, I don't know how we're going to do this,

but she said so what parts of this exhibit do you want?
but she said so what parts of this exhibit do you want?

And I said I want everything except the artwork we couldn't accept and a few historical items.
And I said I want everything except the artwork we couldn't accept and a few historical items.

I said just pack it all up and ship it, we'll get it shipped,
I said just pack it all up and ship it, we'll get it shipped,

and Pima Community College was able to recreate it and rebuild it and it has just been a labor
and Pima Community College was able to recreate it and rebuild it and it has just been a labor

of love of the entire community partnering to make sure this happens.
of love of the entire community partnering to make sure this happens.

[music plays] WOMEN: [in unison] Hi!
[music plays] WOMEN: [in unison] Hi!

GROUP: [in unison] Ready, two, three!
GROUP: [in unison] Ready, two, three!

[separately] There we go!
[separately] There we go!

It's open!
It's open!

ALBARRAN: This is not only a celebration of Frida Kahlo as a Mexican, it's a celebration
ALBARRAN: This is not only a celebration of Frida Kahlo as a Mexican, it's a celebration

of Frida Kahlo as a universal human being, and more than that the celebration
of Frida Kahlo as a universal human being, and more than that the celebration

of the Mexican community that is working in the US, in Arizona,
of the Mexican community that is working in the US, in Arizona,

and in Tucson, so this is a great location.
and in Tucson, so this is a great location.

MERRYMAN: Oh I think it's wonderful.
MERRYMAN: Oh I think it's wonderful.

It's the colors, the vibrancy, the blue, and the marigolds, the bright orange,
It's the colors, the vibrancy, the blue, and the marigolds, the bright orange,

and it's just so creative it's fun.
and it's just so creative it's fun.

PASK: The Casa Azul is outside of Mexico City so we in New York - it was an internal exhibition
PASK: The Casa Azul is outside of Mexico City so we in New York - it was an internal exhibition

with some outside aspects and then a gallery and poetry walk, so then translating
with some outside aspects and then a gallery and poetry walk, so then translating

that to Tucson was very exciting when I got the phone call that this was going to happen,
that to Tucson was very exciting when I got the phone call that this was going to happen,

and you know, what I call my hometown, and I grew up in Yuma but spent a lot of time
and you know, what I call my hometown, and I grew up in Yuma but spent a lot of time

in Tucson, went to school here, so when the New York Botanical Garden called me and said
in Tucson, went to school here, so when the New York Botanical Garden called me and said

that this was happening they knew I was gonna be ecstatic about it -
that this was happening they knew I was gonna be ecstatic about it -

is the way that I remember it in Mexico City originally, open to the sky.
is the way that I remember it in Mexico City originally, open to the sky.

DAUBMANN: This is amazing and I'm thrilled to see all of the love and creation
DAUBMANN: This is amazing and I'm thrilled to see all of the love and creation

that the New York Botanical Garden put into this exhibition living a longer life here in Tucson.
that the New York Botanical Garden put into this exhibition living a longer life here in Tucson.

FOLEY: I'm really interested in native plants and in gardens and I was very curious
FOLEY: I'm really interested in native plants and in gardens and I was very curious

to see how they would - what her garden looked like.
to see how they would - what her garden looked like.

I think that the botanical gardens was very lucky to get this exhibit.
I think that the botanical gardens was very lucky to get this exhibit.

I read that it's only one of two in the whole country, so this is a real coup for the gardens.
I read that it's only one of two in the whole country, so this is a real coup for the gardens.

DRAPER: It's gorgeous and it is quite an insight into her life and what she's all
DRAPER: It's gorgeous and it is quite an insight into her life and what she's all

about which I didn't know too much about, so it's enlightening.
about which I didn't know too much about, so it's enlightening.

SASSE: Well she's really the epitome of the cult of personality.
SASSE: Well she's really the epitome of the cult of personality.

What made her special was not only her surrealist works that were very personal
What made her special was not only her surrealist works that were very personal

and quite challenging, but also her own style.
and quite challenging, but also her own style.

She melded the idea of European modernism with Mexican indigenous culture,
She melded the idea of European modernism with Mexican indigenous culture,

so a lot of her imagery comes from that kind of sensibility and certainly her dress,
so a lot of her imagery comes from that kind of sensibility and certainly her dress,

but then later the contemporary folk artists have been influenced by her.
but then later the contemporary folk artists have been influenced by her.

So you'll see a lot of Chicano artists or folk artists emulating how she looked.
So you'll see a lot of Chicano artists or folk artists emulating how she looked.

For instance, we have this wonderful piece by Josefina Aguilar who was a Oaxaca folk artist,
For instance, we have this wonderful piece by Josefina Aguilar who was a Oaxaca folk artist,

and in our collection we have a double-headed Frida and again, it's sort of putting her
and in our collection we have a double-headed Frida and again, it's sort of putting her

on this special cult celebrity status and putting her on a pedestal for being kind
on this special cult celebrity status and putting her on a pedestal for being kind

of a champion of the folk artists from Mexico.
of a champion of the folk artists from Mexico.

And then we have another artist, David Tineo, who is a well-known Chicano artist
And then we have another artist, David Tineo, who is a well-known Chicano artist

and mural artist from this area and he's often painted her image.
and mural artist from this area and he's often painted her image.

And then I think when you go to see the festivities around Dia de Los Muertos,
And then I think when you go to see the festivities around Dia de Los Muertos,

a lot of people will dress up as Frida, so she's become almost as much of an icon as the Virgin
a lot of people will dress up as Frida, so she's become almost as much of an icon as the Virgin

of Guadalupe because it's such a recognizable image.
of Guadalupe because it's such a recognizable image.

CONKLIN: We hope that people feel that same inspiration when they come here and they read
CONKLIN: We hope that people feel that same inspiration when they come here and they read

about Frida Kahlo and how nature inspired her to do the work she did.
about Frida Kahlo and how nature inspired her to do the work she did.

I also hope that, you know, it's difficult sometimes you always
I also hope that, you know, it's difficult sometimes you always

as a botanical garden director have to figure out ways to inspire people
as a botanical garden director have to figure out ways to inspire people

to become environmentalists, to become gardeners, to become appreciators of nature
to become environmentalists, to become gardeners, to become appreciators of nature

who might not otherwise walk into our doors, so this just gives us another opportunity
who might not otherwise walk into our doors, so this just gives us another opportunity

to make a connection with someone who might not be a botanical garden aficionado
to make a connection with someone who might not be a botanical garden aficionado

or even an appreciator and show them all that we have to offer,
or even an appreciator and show them all that we have to offer,

which is much more than even Frida Kahlo.
which is much more than even Frida Kahlo.

There's a lot of many components in this wonderful urban garden in the middle of Tucson.
There's a lot of many components in this wonderful urban garden in the middle of Tucson.