Photography by Nathaniel Tileston

In the early 1960s, when little attention was being paid to minimalist and conceptual art, Herb and Dorothy Vogel began purchasing the works of unknown artists. Thirty years later, the Vogels have accumulated over 4,000 pieces, filling every corner of their living space from the bathroom to the kitchen.

The Vogels’ discerning taste and magnanimity have changed the face of contemporary art collecting. In 2007, James Stourton, the chairman of Sotheby’s UK, included the Vogels in his acclaimed book, Great Collectors of Our Time: Art Collecting Since 1945. Stourton placed Herb and Dorothy among the top art collectors in the world, alongside Getty, Rockefeller and Mellon.

While there are countless films that feature artists, there are few about art collectors. The documentary film Herb and Dorothy provides a unique chronicle of the world of contemporary art from two unlikely collectors, whose shared passion and discipline defies stereotypes and redefines what it means to be a patron of the arts.