My guest is William Middleton, author of the new biography Double Vision: The Unerring Eye of Art World Avatars Dominique and John De Menil, out now through Knopf.

The book follows the lives of the celebrated art collectors, who over the course of the 20th century forever changed the cultural landscape of their adopted home, Houston, TX. William spent 15 years between Paris, New York, and Houston researching and writing. When you hear him speak about their lives, you can feel the enduring nature of his interest. That may be because the de Menil’s offer a kind of model of civic engagement. They represent the idea that, given the opportunity, we have an obligation to invest in the places we find ourselves. Heirs to the massive Schlumberger oil fortune, Dominique and John relocated from France to Houston during the turmoil of World War II. Over the coming years they would champion the city, creating lasting institutions such as the Menil Collection, the Rothko Chapel, the Byzantine Fresco Chapel, and the Cy Twombly Gallery. They were also outspoken supporters of the civil rights movement, funding key scholarship and exhibition of African American Art at a time when it was seldom granted institutional support. William’s expansive biography considers the impact art can have on society through the lives of two of its most devoted members.

I photographed William at his apartment in New York, surrounded by more than a decades worth of photographs, exhibition catalogues, letters, and manuscripts used in research for the book. His french bulldog Hubert makes an appearance as well. You can see the photograph at www.williamjesslaird.com/imageculture or on Instagram @william.jess.laird or @image.culture

I’d like to thank William Middleton as well as Katie Schoder and the entire team at Penguin Random House. This show is produced by Sarah Levine and our music is by Jack and Eliza. Thanks for listening.