Vivian Maier

Molsondog · February 2, 2010

Saw this on RFF: http://vivianmaier.blogspot.com/

Fascinating.

According the OP on RFF: "Her work was discovered by a collector at an auction in Chicago where she resided most of her life. The work includes about 100,000 negatives and about 15.000 of undeveloped rolls of film. Born February 1, 1926 and deceased on Tuesday, April 21, 2009."

vintagemxr · February 3, 2010

That is a really fascinating story and site. I'll be looking through the photos more than once. I'd like to hear B.D. Colen's take on the woman's work too.

Doug

DRabbit · February 3, 2010

I thought it was fascinating also... already bookmarked it so I can go back and read/look more. Amazing -- and sad -- that a whole body of work could almost end up never being seen.

michswiss · February 3, 2010

It is a fascinating story. There was another thread on it back in Oct. Here's a link to the other discussion I referred to.

Wil Davis · February 3, 2010

Amazing story!

Thanks for sharing…

- Wil

vintagemxr · February 3, 2010

michswiss wrote:

It is a fascinating story. There was another thread on it back in Oct. Here's a link to the other discussion I referred to.

Thanks for the links!

Doug

tortillatorture · February 3, 2010

http://www.flickr.com/groups/onthestreet/discuss/72157622552378986/

bdcolen · February 3, 2010

vintagemxr wrote:

That is a really fascinating story and site. I'll be looking through the photos more than once. I'd like to hear B.D. Colen's take on the woman's work too.

Doug

I'm of two minds about this. On the one hand, this is incredible work, really stunning. Much of it is on a par with that of the greats of street photography from the era when life was really lived on the streets - especially, as someone pointed out in one of the blogs, the work of the late Helen Levitt.

On the other hand, there's something a little to pat about this whole story. The more you poke around on the web, the more ephemeral this all seems, with links linking back to links and everything going around in circles. If the story is true, it certainly won't be the first time a virtual unknown was discovered after his or her death - the portraiture of Mike Disfarmer immediately comes to mind. Yet...Whoever shot these was good, of that there is no doubt.

Flyinggina · February 3, 2010

Many of the photographs are really wonderful. In a perfect world, they would end up attributed to the one who took them. I hope it works out that way.

Virginia

vintagemxr · February 5, 2010

Thanks for the comment, B.D. It's a story I'll be following with interest and the photos, regardless of the story behind them, are compelling.

Doug

bdcolen · February 5, 2010

vintagemxr wrote:

Thanks for the comment, B.D. It's a story I'll be following with interest and the photos, regardless of the story behind them, are compelling.

Doug

You're quite welcome, Doug. I really, really hope this is real.

Richard · December 29, 2010

Looks like this is the real thing:

http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=42,8,80&pid=A1hO97qcWo7ViDL_rWniVH2LakYxNa7J

Some of the pics in the video are simply stellar.

sara505 · December 29, 2010

Richard wrote: »

Looks like this is the real thing:

http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=42,8,80&pid=A1hO97qcWo7ViDL_rWniVH2LakYxNa7J

Some of the pics in the video are simply stellar.

Phenomenal story and photos. I'm glad the issue of privacy was eventually addressed in the video, as I found myself squirming a bit, thinking about this obviously intensely private woman's life being picked over and analyzed in such a public way. Interesting that she thought of herself as somewhat of a meaningless cog in the wheel of life - also interesting that even though she was private, on some level she did have enough of an ego to have recorded her own image on a regular basis.
The photography is stunning.

aj986s · December 29, 2010

Richard wrote: »

Looks like this is the real thing:

http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=42,8,80&pid=A1hO97qcWo7ViDL_rWniVH2LakYxNa7J

Some of the pics in the video are simply stellar.

Amazing story!

streetpete · December 29, 2010

They are great pictures. They give a real sense of what it was like on the Chicago streets of the time. I don't know what photographers think at the time when they take these pictures. They probably took them because they enjoyed using the equipment and liked the idea of the stolen moment. I'm assuming this as it seems pretty hard these days to end up with 1,000's of rolls of undeveloped film. Even assuming they're only 120 with 12 exps on them. However, the fact that she did it means we have this wonderful gallery emerging. Compare that to now, where people are suspicious of street photographers for various reasons. If we don't do it now, then in 50 or 60 years time there won't be the same oppurtunities available to really see what the unrehearsed world looked like. In the places where "proper" photographers wouldn't normally go. Pictures that seem mundane and boring now, will one day be a treasure to behold to someone. If that happens, the picture wins.

Angelo · December 29, 2010

michswiss wrote: »

It is a fascinating story. There was another thread on it back in Oct. Here's a link to the other discussion I referred to.

thanks for remembering

.

mikepenn · December 30, 2010

This is the find of the century and the most significant thing to happen since Berenice Abbott introduced the U.S. to Eugene Atget. I have given John my support, donated money for the documentary and will continue to spread the word.

mikepenn · December 31, 2010

Discovering unknown work by a known photographer is exciting. Discovering an unknown photographer of her caliber is beyond exciting.

Also the donations have topped the goal and the feature length documentary is a go !

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/800508197/finding-vivian-maier-a-feature-length-documentary

bdcolen · January 1, 2011

vintagemxr wrote: »

That is a really fascinating story and site. I'll be looking through the photos more than once. I'd like to hear B.D. Colen's take on the woman's work too.

Doug

I've posted on it a couple times, with links. She was fabulous. My first thought when these images appeared was that this might be an elaborate hoax, but I don't think it is. This isn't the first time a fabulous, 'unknown,' photographer has emerged after his or her death, and it probably will not be the last. Seeing this body of work is a reminder of how many really great photographers - and, for that matter, artists of every kind - out there who no one beyond their immediate circle of friends has ever heard of. Which means it is a reminder once again that Dad - Mom - teacher - was right when he, or she - told you, "it's not what you know but who you know that matters." Yes, it helps to have talent. (

). But if you don't have the contacts, and the drive, to get exposure for that talent, the talent will always remain a 'secret.'

Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!! to all.

clap

briandelion · January 1, 2011

Very Inspiring Story
Happy New Year. I came across this story that I thought would be of interest to all of you here on the Street Photography forum. Here is the link:
http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=42,8,80&pid=A1hO97qcWo7ViDL_rWniVH2LakYxNa7J

Richard · January 1, 2011

briandelion wrote: »

Happy New Year. I came across this story that I thought would be of interest to all of you here on the Street Photography forum. Here is the link:
http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=42,8,80&pid=A1hO97qcWo7ViDL_rWniVH2LakYxNa7J

Thanks. I moved your post into a thread in which we have been discussing this. It's a very exciting development, and I'm hoping to hear some first hand reports from the exhibit that's opening soon in Chicago.

mikepenn · January 1, 2011

Starting January 7th.

http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/events/dca_tourism/FindingVivianMaier_ChicagoStreetPhotographer.html

Zanotti · January 3, 2011

More, perhaps some of the same links:

http://fstoppers.com/street-photographer-discovered-a-few-days-after-her-death/

http://www.petapixel.com/2011/01/03/the-incredible-story-of-vivian-maier/

Z

Seefutlung · January 4, 2011

Vivian Maier - You Gotta See this News Report!!!!!
Woman's life's work finally comes to light.

This is a must see ... truly.

http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=42,8,80&pid=A1hO97qcWo7ViDL_rWniVH2LakYxNa7J

Gary

NomadRip · January 9, 2011

Just bumping this because they added a Kickstarter site to try to get a documentary off the ground. http://vivianmaier.blogspot.com/

Beautiful work.

Richard · February 13, 2011

So has anyone here seen the exhibit?

Patti · February 13, 2011

Richard wrote: »

So has anyone here seen the exhibit?

I hope to see it while in Chicago in early April - may actually be the last day of the show. I can't wait to see her work hanging.

pathfinder · February 13, 2011

I am heading up to Chicago next weekend to see her exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center

Maybe we'll bump into some other dgrinners there too!

I will have my Smugmug camera strap on my shoulder.

Patti · April 7, 2011

I saw the show on Saturday while in Chicago - just got there in time. Terrific to see her work, including some shots taken in Canada (I'm guessing Montreal). She had quite an eye. A series of her self portraits were included which was interesting. Her Leica and Rolliflex were on display as well.

Also caught the American Modern show at the Art Institute of Chicago (Walker Evans, Margaret Bourke-White and Berenice Abbott). The assistant curator of photography provided a tour that was very enjoyable. Well worth the visit.

Vivian Maier

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