Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Twentieth-Century Mexican Art: The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection

this book is an awesome collection of all the art that the gelmans had. i went to the exhibition with my mother and we decided to get the book, she actually worked with the gelmans in mexico as a young girl and she even remembers where some of the paintings where located in the house. this book is a book that would be a great gift for anyone who loves art.

If you are looking for a good art book that covers some of the best in Mexican Art than look no further. As part of an exhibition that toured Dallas, Phoenix and San Diego, where I was lucky enough to have seen the impressive collection, this book is full of varied works and styles. Although the emphasis is on Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, there are many more artists featured, including Nahum Zenil, Rufino Tamayo, Carlos Orozco Romero, Agustin Lazo, Maria Izquierdo, Lola Alvarez Bravo, Gunther Gerzo and of course the others in the "Three Greats," David Alfaro Siquieros and Jose Clemente Orozco to complete the triad masters of Mexican Art. Some of the art is breathtaking ,original and shocking but all pleasing. There are many more artists featured, to numerous to name, but suffice to say that the broad spectrum of Mexican Art is covered, including the works of contemporary artists as Natasha continued to collect into the 1990's, a decade after her husbands passing. As beautiful and magical as the art is, so varied in form, subject and media matter, the text is one that teaches about how this collection came to be. The outstanding essays reflect on the intriguing lives of the art collectors, beginning with their meeting and becoming naturalized Mexican citizens from their European exile. The relationship between Jacques Gelman and the Mexican movie comedian icon Cantinflas, who he discovered, is discussed and the stuff of legend. Jacques Hollywood connections are also featured, both in essay and pictures. The personal relationships both Jacques and Natasha had with Diego and Frida is now legendary. Although they have European(not featured here) Art in their private collection, their real love was for Mexican Art. The Gelmans devotion and dedication to Mexican Art was their baby they never had. They have nutured and shared their gifts with the rest of the world by keeping their collection intact and it speaks for itself as a collective art piece. If you missed the tour than by all means get this book which features all the exhibitions art pieces, short biographies of the artists and an interesting bilingual text. Recommended for art enthusiasts interested in the evolving art of Mexico.

Where can you find a collection of the best of Mexico's artists of the 20th century? Contained in these pages spanning four generations in the 20th century are some of the greatest names in Mexican art. The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection presents for the first time a wide span view of the development of Mexico's greatest treasures in art. Here you will find Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Jose Orozco and the other older greats of the muralist and painting traditions of Mexico. The art of these "Masters" are rich in their expressions of presenting the indigenous art of the people before the public. You will also find these "Masters" experimenting with impressionism, cubism and surrealism but in the end they develop a style unique to their cultural heritage. Just viewing the "Masters" alone would be enough but Mexico's artists are progressive in their style as we view the work of the younger artists who have made their mark on the artistic scene. Francisco Toledo, Cisco Jimenez and Marco Arce explode upon the scene with their framented narrative texts, irreverance for religion and interpretations of the myths and legends of their land. Their works are just as stunning, provocative and controversial as their elders. Such a diverse collection shows the viewer the varied styles and development of Mexican art through the 20th Century. Nothing can match it. Art lovers everywhere will appreciate the styles represented in this collection and will gain a deeper appreciation of Mexico's artistic tradition.