During a career spanning half a century, Ileana Sonnabend (1914-2007) played a significant role in shaping the course of post-war art.

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By introducing American Pop Art and Minimalism to Europe, and European Artists to the United Sates, she unequivocally altered art narratives while defining pivotal artists and movements. A gallerist and collector, Sonnabend was instrumental in the development of the careers of artists such as Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg and many others.

 

Notwithstanding her immeasurable impact and the seminal role she played to form the tastes of the contemporary art world, Sonnabend remains one of the most unknown and elusive figures. She is still an enigma.

 

Quiet, discreet, coquettish and shrewd she exuded an understated power that garnered her a reputation as "part Buddha, part Machiavelli".

 

This film vividly captures the journey of Sonnabend, from her origins in Romania to her time in Paris during the turbulence of World War II. It delves into her marriages to the gallerist Leo Castelli and the Dante Scholar Michael Sonnabend and highlights her contributions to the art scene, including the launch of her galleries that gained widespread recognition for their commitment to showcasing consistently innovative and groundbreaking art.

 

Sonnabend was a true lover of art and the artists. By the end of her life, she had amassed a collection valued at close to 1 Billion Dollars.