The Ortiz Gurdian Collection in Leon is, without doubt, one of the finest collections of contemporary art to be found anywhere in Latin America.
Amongst its significant collection, visitors will come across works by artists including Picasso, Chagall, Miro and even Damien Hirst. However, and in keeping with its location, it is the gallery’s collection of Latin American masters for which the Ortiz Gurdian Collection is best known.
The Ortiz Gurdian Foundation was first set up in 1996 by Patricia Gurdián de Ortiz and Ramiro Ortiz Mayorga, a wealthy couple from Leon (they own the nearby Hotel El Convento as well) with a love for art and a desire to put both Leon and Nicaragua on the global art map.
The gallery first opened its doors in December 2000 but, limited to just the original Norberto Ramirez house, was far smaller than the current iteration.
Over the years, the gallery bought up and expanded into adjoining homes within the same block – Derbyshire, Delgadillo & Deshon – all traditional houses dating back to the 18th & 19th century and featuring internal courtyards, wide corridors and elegant rooms, ideal for an art gallery.
The gallery is located just off Calle Ruben Dario (Ruben Dario is Nicaragua’s national poet and his first home, now a small museum, is located close by), a 5 minute-walk from Leon’s main Parque Central and a 1 minute walk from the aforementioned Hotel El Convento, the best and most characterful hotel in Leon.
The gallery entrance, where tickets are sold, is located on the west side of 3rd Avenue SO and includes two beautiful galleries.
If the collection was limited to just these two galleries, then most visitors would leave more than content with their visit.
However, this really is no more than a taste of what is to come. Crossing over 3rd Avenue takes visitors into the main part of the collection, a veritable tardis in which one can easily get lost amidst countless galleries and peaceful courtyards.
Even if modern art isn’t your thing, the setting is lovely, there is generally a bewildering lack of visitors and it’s a great place to escape the mid afternoon heat or a downpour.
Being a non-profit organization, entrance fees to the Ortiz Gurdian Collection (closed Monday) are very modest.
For ideas as to how to include the Collection – and Leon in general – in a holiday to Nicaragua, we suggest checking out our sample Itineraries page. Do please remember through that all our holidays are entirely flexible and can be tailor made to your exact requirements.
