Documetary Recommendation: Independent Lens Herb & Dorothy


Independent Lens's episode on art collectors Herb & Dorothy Vogel is a lovely, funny and educational little program totally worth watching.

Herb is a retired postal worker and Dorothy worked at a NYPL. They used one salary for food, rent and other basics and then the other's to collect minimal and conceptual art. They amassed (such a writing word, only ever used in news stories, etc) a huge collection, which they donated to the National Gallery and then 50 pieces to the 50 states (because the collection was too much for the National Gallery).

They're an awfully sweet, short, old couple and they live in a cramped apartment with lots of cats in Manhattan. They've been collecting since the 60s in a very quiet, nonchalant way purely for the appreciation of the art and not for monetary gain.

See the whole program at:
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/herb-and-dorothy/