Dorothy and Herb Vogel:
On Drawing
January 14 - May 18, 2014Wolcott Gallery
Dorothy and Herbert Vogel, New Yorkers of modest means, began purchasing contemporary art in 1962 and soon realized that drawings were of particular interest to them. Of the over 4,000 works they collected in a period of more than 40 years, approximately three-quarters were drawings. Not only were the Vogels daring in their acquisition of works by young artists, but their decision to focus on drawing was unprecedented at the time. This exhibition presents the second half of the Vogels' gift to the Fleming Museum of Art, and it focuses on new attitudes about drawing.
With an eye for freshness and integrity, the Vogels purchased drawings at a time when most collectors favored painting and sculpture. Dorothy and Herbert recognized that artists were no longer making drawings simply to practice manual skill, but as an intellectual endeavor that marked the passage of time, gave instruction, or took pleasure in sensual materials. For the Vogels, drawings also represented their personal connection to the artist-a link to the artist's thought process.
In 2008, with the assistance of the National Gallery of Art, the Vogels created a plan to distribute a significant portion of their collection throughout the United States, donating fifty objects to a single art institution in each state. The Fleming Museum of Art is the Vermont recipient of this esteemed and generous gift. Half of the Vogels' gift to the Fleming was exhibited in the fall of 2013. The current exhibition completes the presentation of their gift and reflects their astute observation of the contemporary art scene. Now in public collections, the personal choices of these two remarkable people can be shared with visitors who will embark on their own relationships with the works in museums across the country.
The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty Statesis a joint initiative of the Trustees of The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection and the National Gallery of Art, with generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Institute for Museum and Library Services.