With their modest means, the couple managed to build one of the most important contemporary art collections in. Follow herb and dorothy on the film festival circuit. Herb and dorothy tells the extraordinary story of a postal clerk and a librarian who managed to build one of the most important contemporary art collections in history with very modest means. It just doesnt probe deeply enough and ask thorny questions about the nature of collecting and the nature of. Aug 22, 20 dorothy and herb vogel were, respectively, a librarian and a postal worker. While working the midnight shift at the post office, herb studied by day at. From the outside, little distinguished herb and dorothy vogel from any other middleclass. Plus, its clear they adore each other as much as they love their collection.
The film tells the story of two middleclass collectors of contemporary art, herbert and dorothy vogel, and the enormous and valuable collection of conceptual art and minimalist art they amassed in spite of their relatively meager salaries as new york city civil servants. Herb and dorothy vogel are perhaps the worlds least likely art collectors, a retired postal worker and a retired librarian. Most exciting of all is that following the movie, dorothy vogel will be present for a postscreening conversation with the director of the eskenazi museum of art, david brenneman. The film takes a close look at the historical gift project by the legendary art. Mar 30, 20 in 2008, legendary art collectors herb and dorothy vogel made an announcement that stunned the art world. Developed as the followup film to megumi sasakis awardwinning documentary herb dorothy 2008 that moved millions of artlovers worldwide, herb dorothy 50x50 captures the last chapter of the vogels extraordinary life and their gift to the nation, raising various questions on art, and what it takes to support art in todays society. Follow the movie on facebook and twitter plot summary longtime art collectors herb and dorothy vogel refuse to sell their vast collection, choosing instead to donate 50 works of art to each state. With herbert vogel, dorothy vogel, paula antebi, robert barry. See how they are received and what they have to say. Known and loved as a retired postal worker herb and librarian dorothy who built a worldclass art collection on their humble salaries, the vogels launched a national gift project with the national gallery of art nga in washington dc that would constitute one of the largest. The appeal is as much the implied, functioning reality of their love for each other. Herb and dorothy, a documentary by megumi sasaki, grows on you just as its. Herb and dorothy is a 2008 documentary film by megumi sasaki. Herb and dorothy vogel standing in front of a large canvas with diagonal and horizontal stripes.
Theres an obvious humaninterest angle on dorothy and herbert vogel, the nyc couple who spent 30 years amassing a worldclass collection of contemporary americ. Meet herbert and dorothy vogel, whose shared passion and. Meet herb and dorothy vogel, whose shared passion and disciplines and. Once upon a time, a postal clerk with an enthusiasm for art history married an openminded librarian. Herb and dorothy 2009 stream and watch online moviefone. Known and loved as a retired postal worker herb and librarian dorothy who built a. Jun 05, 2009 watch the movie trailer for herb and dorothy 2009.
Herb cannot be fooled by upside down art, dorothy will defend their favorites, eve if we think it is just a piece of string this is a sweet love story not treacly. He never finished high school and, after serving in the u. Released june 5th, 2009, herb and dorothy stars dorothy vogel, herbert vogel the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 31 min, and received a score of 74 out of 100 on metacritic, which assembled. Army during world war ii, worked nights as a clerk sorting mail for the united states postal service until his retirement in 1979. I thought the film a bit long and perhaps a bit repetitious, but i found the. Herb and dorothy tells the extraordinary story of a postal clerk and a librarian. December 15th, 2009 not yet rated 1 hr 31 min plot summary. Nyc collectors with connections documentary subjects herb and dorothy vogel have been collecting art since the 1960s. Dorothy faye hoffman is the daughter of an orthodox jewish. Sasaki, a former field producer for japanese public television, had met the. They prove definitively that anyone can appreciate, love and buy art. Herb and dorothy 50x50 in us theaters september, 20 starring paula antebi, robert barry, lisa bradley, chuck close. Whether you like the art or not, the character study that this film offers is fascinating. In the early 1960s, when very little attention was paid to minimalist and conceptual art, the vogels quietly began purchasing the works of unknown artists.
Herbs death lends a poignant finality to the film, which ends by showing dorothy clearing out their apartment and sending the last of their art collection to the national gallery. Herb and dorothy at the gates, central park, 2005 from the earliest days of their marriage, the vogels delighted in art. The film tells the story of two middleclass collectors of contemporary art, herbert and dorothy. Directed by megumi sasaki and starring dorothy vogel, herbert vogel, will barnet and robert barry. In the early 1960s, when very little attention was paid to minimalist and conceptual art, herb and dorothy vogel quietly began purchasing the works of unknown artists. With paula antebi, will barnet, robert barry, lynda benglis. The film, also by sasaki, continues where the first one left off, but much. Together they amassed one of the most important contemporary art collections in the world. In 2008, legendary art collectors herb and dorothy vogel made an announcement that stunned the art world. Starting at a robert mangold opening, the documentary shows the now elderly vogels in action among artists and curators as they attend events as they have for the past 40 years. But in manhattan in the 60s, they were among those gallerygoers who quickly embraced what new minimalist and conceptual. Meet herb and dorothy vogel, whose shared passion and disciplines and defied.
Herb and dorothy vogel redefine what it means to be an art collector. In 2008, legendary art collectors herb and dorothy vogel made. Mar 21, 20 last tuesday, a second documentary, entitled herb and dorothy 50x50, had its world premiere at the whitney museum. The subjects of this film, herb and dorothy vogel, were faced with. With their modest means, the couple managed to build one of the most important contemporary art collections in history. The film takes a close look at the historical gift project by the legendary art collector couple, herbert and dorothy vogel, and its impact on art communities around america.
Herb and dorothy vogel earned fame for amassing an expansive modernart collection on meager salaries he was a postal worker, she a librarian. Jun 05, 2009 once upon a time, a postal clerk with an enthusiasm for art history married an openminded librarian. A couple dorothy vogel, herbert vogel redefine what it means to be an art collector. They fell in love and were married a year later, and while herb had never hidden his interest in art, it wasnt until they went to the national gallery on their honeymoon that dorothy saw the full.
Many artists are interviewed in the film, including christo. Dorothy and herb vogel were, respectively, a librarian and a postal worker. Herb and dorothy vogel, sol lewitt, christo and jeanneclaude, richard tuttle, chuck close, robert mangold, lynda benglis, pat steir, robert barry. Herbert vogel, known as herb, was the son of a russian jewish garment worker from harlem.
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