Frida Kahlo and Marilyn Monroe. Parallel Lives

Two Icons, One Story

Frida Kahlo and Marilyn Monroe never met, yet their lives ran in parallel, like two threads woven by 20th-century history without ever touching. The exhibition "Frida Kahlo and Marilyn Monroe. Parallel Lives", held at the Palazzo dei Priori in Fermo, in the historic center overlooking Piazza del Popolo, compares two women who became universal symbols of beauty, pain, rebellion, and freedom. From June 28 to November 2, 2026, visitors are invited to explore their extraordinary biographies through the lens of the great photographers who immortalized them.

Over 120 Original Photographs

The heart of the exhibition is a collection of over 120 photographs by some of the most important photographers of the 20th century. Frida Kahlo is brought back to life in the shots by Edward Weston, Guillermo Kahlo (her father), Imogen Cunningham, Lucienne Bloch, Leo Matiz, Lola and Manuel Alvarez Bravo, and Nickolas Muray, who was also her lover. Marilyn Monroe emerges from the lenses of Sam Shaw, Ed Feingersh, Milton Greene, Cecil Beaton, and Richard Avedon. A dialogue through images that reveals the daily lives, theatricality, and hidden wounds of two globally beloved icons.

Paintings and Artist Tributes

Alongside the photographs, the exhibition features paintings and tributes by great art names: the pop portraits of Andy Warhol, the décollages of Mimmo Rotella, the luminous silhouettes of Marco Lodola, and works by Xu De Qi and Zhang Hongmei, the latter also author of a reinterpretation of the famous painting "Las Dos Fridas." The exhibition thus builds a bridge between photography and contemporary art, between document and myth.

Fermo, City of Great Exhibitions

The exhibition is part of the "super exhibition" season that has transformed the Municipality of Fermo, in the Province of Fermo and the Marche region, into a reference point for cultural tourism. In 2025, the city's museums nearly reached 51,000 visitors, almost triple that of 2019, thanks to a calendar of internationally renowned events. "Frida Kahlo and Marilyn Monroe. Parallel Lives" is promoted by the Municipality of Fermo, in collaboration with Art Book Web and Rjma Progetti Culturali, and organized by Maggioli Cultura e Turismo.

An Experience for Everyone

The venue, the monumental Palazzo dei Priori, is a destination in itself: it houses the Civic Art Gallery and the famous Hall of the World Map. Visiting the exhibition thus means immersing oneself also in the artistic and historical heritage of Fermo, one of the most fascinating art cities in the Piceno region.