Sky Gallery kicks off exhibition of ‘Her Face, Her Power’

Saturday, 15 November 2025 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}


“Portrait of Friedericke Maria Beer” - Gustav Klimt (1916)	“Self Portrait with Monkeys” - Frida Kahlo (1943)

Portraits of women by Gustav Klimt and Frida Kahlo showcase female identity, strength, and spirit

Sky Gallery yesterday kicked off a groundbreaking presentation, which brings together a curated selection of portraits from two revolutionary artists of the 20th century. Gustav Klimt’s gilded elegance and symbolic sensuality meet Frida Kahlo’s raw introspection and cultural defiance, offering visitors a layered experience of feminine power across time and style.

The exhibition challenges the traditional male gaze, instead presenting women as the authors of their own identity—be it through Klimt’s external idealisation or Kahlo’s internal excavation. On view is an extraordinary collection of life-sized, museum-quality canvas portraits that immortalise the spirit, strength, and sensuality of women as seen through the eyes of these masters.

Though separated by generation and geography, Gustav Klimt (Austria, 1862–1918) and Frida Kahlo (Mexico, 1907–1954) shared a fascination with the female form and psyche. Klimt, the master of the Viennese Secession, portrayed women as ethereal, symbolic, and often enveloped in a cosmos of gold leaf and pattern. Kahlo, on the other hand, turned her unflinching gaze inward, using self-portraiture to explore themes of pain, identity, politics, and cultural heritage with visceral honesty. ‘Her Face, Her Power’ explores the feminine form not as an object, but as a vessel of resilience, identity, and creative energy.

The exhibition includes a selection of Gustav Klimt’s mesmerising portraits, showcasing his signature use of gold leaf, intricate patterns, and allegorical symbolism that redefined female beauty at the turn of the century and, a powerful collection of Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits, revealing her exploration of physical and emotional suffering, her vibrant Mexican identity, and her indomitable spirit.

‘Her Face, Her Power’ continues Sky Gallery’s mission to bring world art closer to local audiences, this time inviting reflection on how feminine identity and artistic vision intertwine across eras and continents. Each portrait in this exhibition has been reproduced in breathtaking detail from the original works, presented on life-sized framed canvases that honour the original dimensions and textures. Visitors will journey from the sensual, decorative allure of Klimt’s subjects to the raw, autobiographical narrative of Kahlo’s work.

The exhibition will continue until Sunday 23 November from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.