Mexican-born Gunther Gerzso (1915-2000) moved to Switzerland at the age of 12 to live with his uncle, Hans Wendland, an art collector, dealer and historian. In 1931 he returned to México and became a set and custom designer in the cinematographic industry. His initial artistic works, during the 1940s, were influenced by surrealism but he later turned to abstractionism. His works have been displayed in México City, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Sweden, France, England, Japan, Venezuela, and Germany among other countries. In 1973 he received a Guggenheim Fellowship and in 1978 the Premio Nacional de
Artes y Ciencias, the highest artistic/scientific distinction awarded by the Mexican government. The prestigious Gelman collection contains numerous Gerzsos, and works of art by Gerzso are part of the collections of major museums throughout the world. Maestro Gerzso died on April 21, 2000 in México City.