Condos in a Frida Kahlo-branded luxury condominium development in Miami went on sale this week, even though the project has yet to break ground. Promotional materials describe the planned residences as “inspired by Frida Kahlo’s expressive spirit.”
Renderings of the so-called Frida Kahlo Wynwood Residences show a massive image of the artist emblazoned across one side of a 14-story tower designed by Carlos Ott, the architect behind Paris’s Opéra Bastille. A second, eight-story tower is also slated for the site. Inside, however, things are more restrained: interiors are depicted in neutral, muted tones.
Co-developers PMG Real Estate Associates and Lndmrk Development said the project is set to be completed in 2028. The development will comprise 244 fully furnished units, ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments. They will cost between roughly $500,000 and $1.6 million. Pricey, but still a long way off Kahlo’s heights: 1940 El sueño (La cama), which sold at Sotheby’s New York last year for a record $54.7 million, (plus fees).
The amenities also reflect contemporary luxury rather than bohemian mythmaking. Plans include an outdoor pool with lounge areas and a bar, a fitness center, sauna, and spa treatment rooms, according to the developers.
The project is moving forward with the approval of the Frida Kahlo Corporation, the entity founded by Kahlo’s niece Isolda Pinedo Kahlo, her daughter María Cristina Romeo Pinedo, and Venezuelan businessman Carlos Dorado. The firm, which controls licensing of Kahlo’s name and likeness and is known for its aggressive legal posture, will oversee a curated art collection at the property, as well as its food-and-beverage offerings and pool deck, according to Mansion Global.
“Frida Kahlo was never meant to live only on walls; she was meant to be lived,” Bea Alvarado, chief operating officer of the Frida Kahlo Corporation, told The Art Newspaper in a statement.
In recent years, the corporation has pursued a broad slate of collaborations, including partnerships with fast-fashion giant Shein and Mattel’s Barbie franchise, the latter sparking a legal dispute among members of Kahlo’s family. The company has also faced sustained criticism for commercializing the image of Kahlo, a committed Communist, through luxury and mass-market branding.
The Wynwood residences have already drawn similar scrutiny. Following news that units had gone on sale, some social media users described the development as “soulless” and “bland.”
“Beyond the wild aesthetic divergence from her legacy,” one commenter wrote, “Kahlo was a dedicated communist and would have hated everything about this.”
