SUGGESTED RESULTS
THERE ARE NO SUGGESTED RESULTS
From January 2026 onwards, Fundación Banco Santander will manage the Gelman Santander Collection, comprising a set of 160 works assembled by the Gelman couple between 1941 and 1998.
The collection includes a selection of modern Mexican art spanning the first half of the 20th century and brings together works—primarily painting and photography—by the most important artists of the country: Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, María Izquierdo, José Clemente Orozco, Rufino Tamayo, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Carlos Mérida, Jesús Reyes Ferreira, Francisco Toledo, Lola Álvarez Bravo, Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Gabriel Figueroa, Tina Modotti, and Graciela Iturbide.
The most significant core of the collection is made up of the great figures of muralism and Mexican modernity. Frida Kahlo occupies a central place and is represented by paintings of exceptional intimate intensity, in which identity, the body, pain, and a powerful affirmation of life are intertwined. Diego Rivera is represented through works that reflect his monumental and social vision, his narrative ability, and his mastery of color and composition. These works are not only fundamental to the Gelman Santander Collection, but are also among the most significant examples of Mexican art of the 20th century.
Jacques y Natasha Gelman
Jacques and Natasha Gelman formed one of the most influential collecting couples of the 20th century in relation to modern Mexican art. Of European origin, Jacques Gelman settled in Mexico during the Second World War and developed a successful business career in the film industry. Together with Natasha, his wife and intellectual partner, he built a collection guided by a deep and demanding passion for art. They both understood collecting as a form of commitment to the artists of their time: they acquired works when artists were still unrecognized, supported emerging careers, and purchased key pieces by each artist.
