Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Masterpieces of Modern Mexico

Passion defines the featured exhibition that The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is excited to present next spring. From May 25 through August 18, 2013, the Kansas City region will have the opportunity to experience the great passion shared by Jacques and Natasha Gelman for their adopted homeland and its extraordinary art.

Jacques Gelman, a Russian-born film production mogul, and Natasha, his Czechoslovakian-born wife, became Mexican citizens in 1942. Over the next five decades, the Gelmans supported generations of internationally renowned Mexican artists. They established friendships with and collected art by such icons of Mexican modernism as Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Rufino Tamayo, Carlos Mérida, and Gunther Gerzso, among others.

Never before seen in this region, art from the Gelman collection ranges from the figurative to the surreal, the abstract, and even the conceptual. More than 100 paintings, sculptures, photographs, and drawings will offer a unique glimpse into the keen eye and personal taste of these two dedicated collectors.

The Gelman collection is, in and of itself, a work of art. It is also a work in progress. Owing to the enthusiasm they felt for Mexican art, the Gelmans desired that their collection be kept up to date. Works by significant contemporary artists such as Sergio Hernández, Paula Santiago, and Betsabeé Romero have recently entered the Gelman collection. Thanks to the discerning eye of its president, Robert Littman, the collection continues to grow and evolve according to the forward-thinking couple's wishes.

Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Masterpieces of Modern Mexico from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection showcases an exceptional private collection—one that not only highlights the rich and vibrant artistic traditions of the Mexico of yesterday, but also underscores the inventiveness and vitality of Mexican art today.

Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Masterpieces of Modern Mexico
from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection