Mexico City's Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera Museum is poised to open an exhibition on Thursday showcasing Rivera's genius through the everyday objects he used, as well as the clothing he wore.

"Diego Rivera: Genio, figura y silueta" (Diego Rivera: Genius, Figure and Silhouette), which not only showcases more than 80 pieces of clothing, but also an assortment of drawings and photographs, shines a light on the Mexican artist's provocative personality and socialist spirit.

During a presentation on Monday, Luis Rius, director of the museum, told EFE that the exhibit aims to help visitors get close to "the flesh and blood artist" through his garments.

Rius also said that the attire and personal effects perfectly reflect the corpulent, messy-haired figure of Rivera (1886-1957) through time, giving visitors a glance inside the artist's mind and personality.

"I would say that, to him, clothes were not something neutral," Rius said of the artist's clothing collection, which ranges from elegant black suits to denim ensembles, reflecting his later working-class ideals.

"They reflected what he did. His different looks said something about him," Rius said.

Also on display are items from the time he spent with his last wife, Emma Hurtado, who put him on a diet and filled his closet with lavish cashmere garments of French and British design.

"Diego Rivera was very, very famous," Rius said. "At a certain point, even more so than his actor friends, so he became a role model. He started trends."