Over 200 Mexican artists and art professionals signed an open letter accusing the government and the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL) of an 'institutional blunder' for allowing the resurfaced Gelman collection—approximately 300 works including pieces by Frida Kahlo and other major Mexican artists—to be exported to Spain. The collection, now held by Banco Santander's foundation, is classified as Mexican artistic monuments, which typically restricts foreign export to one or two years.
The controversy matters because the signatories, including prominent curators and artists, allege INBAL failed in its legal mandate to protect national patrimony, acting with opacity and granting unequal privileges. They argue the collection is a vital part of Mexico's artistic identity, and its prolonged export sets a dangerous precedent for the management of culturally significant artworks protected by law.