Herb & Dorothy

The film tells the incredible story of how a simple postal worker, Herbert Vogel, and his wife Dorothy, a librarian, managed to put together one of the most important contemporary art collections in the USA, which comprises over 2,000 pieces and has been valued at several million dollars. Starting in the early 60s, guided only by their passion, and despite their limited economic circumstances, Herbert and Dorothy Vogel bought artworks following only two rules: the price had to be accessible, and the piece had to fit in their tiny Manhattan apartment. In all these years, the Vogels have never sold a single piece, and, after having donated a large part of their collection to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., still live in their tiny New York apartment. In a world where economic value often takes precedence over artistic merit, their story shows how vision and instinct are still more important than money.