Finding Vivian Maier: A photographic journey
Vivian-Maier-Self-Portrait
Vivian Dorothea Maier was an American amateur street photographer. She worked for about forty years as a nanny in Chicago, IL. During those years she took about 100,000 photographs, primarily of people and cityscapes in Chicago although she traveled and photographed worldwide.
Her photographs remained unknown and mostly undeveloped until they were discovered by a local Chicago historian and collector, John Maloof. For the sum of $380.00, he purchased from an auction house a box of some slides, 8mm films and photographs. What he had purchased was the legacy of a lifetime.
“A free spirit but also a proud soul, Vivian became poor and was ultimately saved by three of the children she had nannied earlier in her life. Fondly remembering Maier as a second mother, they pooled together to pay for an apartment and took the best of care for her. Unbeknownst to them, one of Vivian’s storage lockers was auctioned off due to delinquent payments. In those storage lockers lay the massive hoard of negatives Maier secretly stashed throughout her lifetime.“
Some of her street photography:
Since the discovery of her legacy, Vivian’s collections have been in exhibitions from LA to The Netherlands and a new Documentary , “Finding Vivian Maier” is soon to be released and sure to be an amazing journey, although many answers are yet answered. Who was Vivian Maier?
Take 2:39 and watch the movie trailer.. So interesting:
For more information on Vivian, please visit here
FANTASTIC.
I must know more about her..
Holy crap. I already love this film! Again, it speaks to some internal need to create – her photographs seem to be an extension of who she was. Of course I love the mystery and the mental health aspect, as well. Now I’m definitely going to start making Documentaries OR look for old trunks filled with photos.
And let me just say, as one who spent her youth in dark rooms, her photographs are gorgeous. WOW!
Thanks for this Lynne, you got my juices flowing.
Lisa
I have heard of her briefly but when I saw this new trailer for the doc Friday I was just awestruck.. I have been reading up on her all weekend.. She was amazing.. yes, your calling may be in a doc..I’m very serious..;-)
Amazing story, thank you for sharing
It is amazing isn’t it and you are quite welcome!!
Incredible!!
It is really amazing!
Ok, that was by far the biggest tease…I need more of Vivian, we all do. Her work is incredible!
I can’t wait to see the Doc.. What a mystery and story
Gorgeous photos and an incredible story. I’ve never heard of her before. Thanks for sharing.
~FringeGirl
I have heard just snippets here & there but not until recently did I know all of THIS.. incrdible!1
Thanks, Lynne. This is great–I’d never heard of her.
You are very welcome
How wonderful I love the worlds you introduce me to, Lynne! Thank you, thank you-
You know me.. like a detective ..lol..
A detective that finds the coolest stuff!
Hm, I just recently read about this woman. Her photos are great – they take you right into the scene.
She has an amazing story.. I want to know more about her!!
I read about her here: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/07/a-outsiders-life-in-pictures-and-boxes/
How very cool. And what great shots. Glad to learn of another inspiring woman!
See the secrets we women keep.. loved this story and her pictures show humanity at it’s realist..
Wow, this is amazing, Lynne! Never heard of her – her photos are gorgeous!
How would you like to be the young guy that bought that locker.. geez.. This whole story is amazing!!
I would be freaking out. Great story, gonna have to find the doc now.
What a nice post. I would love to see a show of her work. Maybe someday in Seattle. I had not heard the part about the kids taking care of her later. A wonderful story for sure.
If you check her website (i put the link in) it may say where the next showing will be.. What a story, right? Love her pictures!
I’ll do that. I used to live in Chicago, and I see some familiar places in some of her photos, but it’s the people, isn’t it. I’ve always loved her story since I heard it.
How amazing, I hope the showing comes my way; I’ll check the link. Thanks for sharing!
Oh lucky you..I’m going to have try and find an online download somewhere.. her life is so interesting!!
I scrolled through dozens of her photos. Amazing. What a gem.
I am still amazed she lived so simply and kept this all a secret..i love her humanistic photos..
Thankfully someone bought these slides and now all of us are lucky to see them! Thanks for bringing her into my conscience.
You are very welcome.. just sharing the news!!
“Why the f*#k…” — yeah! This is wild! — hahaha! How intriguing. One of the interviewees mentions “compulsion” — that’s what went through my mind. I wondered if she had a form of OCD. But obviously she was really brilliant. I’d love to see this film. Thanks for introducing us to it.
That is exactly what I said when I saw the trailer for this doc a few days ago. I had heard of her, but not alot.. one never knows do they.. What a catalog of pictures she took.. freaking amazing!!
Extremely, extremely cool! Amazing. She’s like Emily Dickinson.
yes indeed.. Her story is so sad though or maybe sad by our standards and not to hers.. Either way thank goodness that young man realized what he had when he bought her box of photos and such!
“and such.” Tee-hee.
What a gem of a story. Fascinating, and inspiring. I really want to see the documentary. Thanks, Lynne!
I want to see it too.. this is one of those rare treats that the world gets to enjoy.. her pictures are really something else!!
Can’t wait to see this! Thanks so much for discovering her…. so I could discover her too. x
A friend of mine sent me the link the day taht trailer cam out thinking i would find it interesting. Like you i was threilled.. i can’t wait to see it. Glad to share it with another enthusist!!
I hadn’t seen her work before and will certainly follow this up. Check out Brassai, one of my faves, you might like his work too.