A dream is coming through for 50 art institutions around the nation, as the renowned Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection of 2500 works of contemporary art is gifted and distributed among America’s 50 states, art museums around the country are getting excited.
The Dorothy & Herbert Vogel Collection’s focus of the collection is on conceptual and minimalist art. They were ahead of their time and selected artists who were lesser known (before they were well-known) for their collection. They bought directly from the artists, and often developed a relationship of ongoing support of the artists.
The first 10 art institutions to receive 50 artworks each of the collection as art gift were announced in April. They are: Blanton Museum of Art, University of Texas (Texas), Delaware Art Museum (Delaware), Harvard University Art Museum (Massachusetts), High Museum of Art, Atlanta (Georgia), Indianapolis Museum of Art (Indianapolis), Montclair Art Museum (New Jersey), Museum of Contemporary Art ~ LA (California), New Orleans Museum of Art (New Orleans), Seattle Art Museum (Washington), and Speed Art Museum (Kentucky).
Twenty more institutions will receive gifts in 2008, and the another twenty art institutions will receive theirs in 2009.
There are works by 170 artists in the collection. Some of the artists in the collection: Lynda Benglis, Sol LeWitt, Michael Lucero, Robert Mangold, Edda Renouf, Richard Tuttle and Tony Smith.
Dorothy & Herbert Vogel have the refreshingly different professional profile of librarian and postal worker ~ abolishing all stereotypes around who art collectors are. Their impeccable and discerning taste led them to buy ‘bargains’ which will soon bejewel 50 museums and other art institutions in America.
The Vogels began collecting art in the ’60s. They went for drawings, smaller paintings & sculptures, prints, photographs, and illustrated books ~ all sized to befit their apartment.
For more information about the Vogel Art Gift http://vogel5050.org/vogel/index.htm
The Vogels are my heros and the best thing that happened to contemporary art collecting. I loved watching a film of them visit artists studios and picking the best of the best. I’m hoping that the Yale University Art Gallery will also be gifted some of their collection. It would be a thrill to see some of this work in person.
Thank you, Beverly, for your comment. Yes, it’s quite inspiring a team. And actually, it brings back the energy of the soulful, discerning & art loving collector, rather than the money-hungry wolf or show-off art collector. In a way we need both type of collectors, but for sure the Vogels are more endearing! For sure.