Tate Gallery Taps Day of the Dead to Promote Frida Exhibition

Ahead of Day of the Dead celebrations arriving at Tate Modern on 1 November, the gallery today shares the full campaign for Frida: The Making of an Icon. This landmark exhibition officially became Tate’s highest pre-selling show of all time with over 50,000 tickets sold ahead of opening , fuelled by an integrated marketing campaign spanning striking outdoor advertising, public art commissions and creative collaborations. Designed to create a summer -long celebration of one of the world’s most recognisable artists, Tate’s campaign brought Fridamania to audiences across the capital, inviting them to discover the many facets of Kahlo’s life and legac y and extending her influence far beyond the gallery walls.

Tate appointed creative company Ace of Hearts to develop the campaign concept, which drew on Kahlo’s unmistakable visual identity and played on her extraordinary recognisability. Using fragments of her famous image - from her distinctive eyebrows to her vivid red lips - the initial teaser invited audiences to recognise Kahlo before revealing the exhibition itself. Reflecting the exhibition’s central themes of identity, influence and cultural legacy, the creative combined works from across Kahlo’s story, bringing together her own painted self-portrait alongside representations of her image produced by generations of artists she continues to inspire.

To unify these works, Ace of Hearts built a bespoke design system drawing inspiration from the stepped geometric patterns of Kahlo’s traditional Tehuana dresses and the greca motifs found in Mexican craft and architecture. As the campaign unfolded, these fragments gradually came together to reveal Kahlo’s full portrait, creating an evolving collage that could be continually reassembled across a diverse mix of impactful formats including over 1000 outdoor sites, social media, paid digital and TV on demand.

While the campaign’s striking visual identity drew on Kahlo’s extraordinary recognisability, a specially commissioned cinematic trailer gave voice to the artist herself. Created by Ace of Hearts in collaboration with UNTOLD STUDIOS and told through Kahlo’s own words, the film offered audiences a more personal encounter with the woman behind the familiar image, bringing her story, spirit and creative vision to life.

Throughout London, Tate worked with a range of partners to bring the campaign into public spaces, creating a lasting legacy beyond the exhibition’s run. In recognition of Kahlo’s connections to the Mexican mural movement, murals sat at the heart of this approach. This included six large -scale murals around Bankside, created by emerging artists aged under 25 in response to Kahlo’s extraordinary life and legacy.

Developed between Tate Collective and Better Bankside, the project offered young artists a platform to explore different facets of Kahlo’s identity, carrying her fearless spirit forward through the voices and perspectives of a new generation , while transforming the streets surrounding Tate Modern into an extension of the exhibition. A further bespoke painted mural depicting Kahlo’s own image from the campaign creative, anchors the trail at Blackfriars Station , produced in collaboration with Jack Arts, part of BUILDHOLLYWOOD and remaining for years to come .

Kahlo’s fascination with self-portraiture also inspired a series of high -impact installations b ringing her iconic image to some of London’s busiest locations. At the world -famous Piccadilly Lights , Tate secured a 10 - minute domination of one of the capital’s most prominent advertising landmarks. Working with Design Studio King Henry, Ace of Hearts created a custom - built software to produce more than 7,000 unique frame combinations, allowing Kahlo’s portrait to continually reconstruct itself, never appearing the same way twice. Moving to Soho, Tate’s collaboration with Shaftesbury Capital transformed the legendary Carnaby Street through Frida Icónica, a spectacular public art installation celebrating Kahlo’s Mexican heritage and artistic legacy. Combining a striking anamorphic portrait with colourful traditional Mexican papel picado designed by artist Alejandra Ballesteros, the installation brought Kahlo’s vibrant visual world to one of London’s best-known cultural destinations across the summer.

In September, Fridamania reached London Bridge, with the arrival of MexiBrit’s Viva Frida, Viva México Fiesta at Borough Yards, and an interactive experience inviting audiences to become part of the creative process.

Commissioned by Borough Yards and ideated, designed and executed by global culture communications agency The Fitting Room, a giant three-day paint -by-numbers installation encouraged visitors to collectively recreate Kahlo’s celebrated 1940 painting Untitled (Self-portrait with thorn necklace and hummingbird), transforming one of her most recognisable works into a shared public artwork.

The next chapter of the campaign will see Tate Modern celebrate Kahlo’s Mexican heritage through a special Day of the Dead festival on 1 November, supported by Bank of America, bringing the spirit of Fridamania back to the gallery for a day of music, making, remembrance and revelry.

Co-curated with radio host Coco María, the festival will explore the traditions and cultural significance of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), while celebrating Kahlo’s creativity, resilience and enduring influence. Visitors can enjoy live performances and activities throughout the building, including the opportunity to become part of the exhibition's evolving visual identity. Audiences are invited to join a collage poster making workshop, with selected designs displayed on the London Underground in what will be the final iteration of the Frida: The Making of an Icon campaign.

With the exhibition remaining open until 3 January 2027, it is on course to become one of Tate’s most visited exhibition s, marking a significant moment for Tate Modern and demonstrating the power of an integrated campaign to connect art, culture and audiences across the city.

Chris Condron, Interim Director of Audiences & Innovation, said: "The phenomenal response to Frida: The Making of an Icon speaks to the extraordinary place Frida Kahlo holds in global culture today. She was an artist of immense creativity, resilience and originality, whose influence continues to shape popular culture. From the outset, our ambition was to create a campaign that matched the scale of her legacy, taking her story beyond the gallery and into the heart of London. By bringing art into the public realm we can inspire moments of discovery, reach audiences who may not otherwise engage with it, and celebrate the vital role creativity plays in everyday life. We hope this campaign encourages people to visit Tate Modern to discover the full story of Frida's extraordinary life and work, while celebrating the enduring relevance of one of the world's most iconic artists.”