Vivian Maier
All images by Vivian Maier. (from vivianmaierprints.com)
Self Portrait - Vivian Maier
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Self Portrait
Vivian Maier's work has always fascinated me.
Besides her mysterious, guarded life, her street photography demonstrates a
very extraordinary glimpse of Urban America in the second half of the
twentieth century. Her ability to capture the small details of everyday life in
her photographs reveals that this self-taught photographer had remarkable
talent. But what is most fascinating about Vivian Maier was that she wasn't
seeking fame or fortune. In fact, the few people that surrounded her barely
knew about her passion. After her passing, 100,000 negatives were found,
most of them shot in Chicago and New York City, in storage lockers stuffed
to the brim with found items of art books, newspaper clippings, and home
films.
Her day-job as a nanny provided Maier with the
ability to wander the streets with her children, capturing and recording
every-day life in America. She shot with a Rolleiflex camera, which
allowed Maier to capture photos that people rarely know were being shot. In
effect, many of these photos provide us with a real snapshot of that day and
time. She also played with the notion of "recording time", taping audio tapes and home-films of the people she photographed. I think her curiosity about people helped her develop her talent, where she could showcase the emotions and moments around her.
Maier's work was come across on accident, after her passing, when one of her
storage lockers was auctioned off due to diligent payments. Only then was her
massive collection of negatives discovered, which Maier has secretly collected
throughout her lifetime. Many of her photographs have been exhibited throughout
the world, from North America to Asia, and she has been the subject of many
books and documentary films. I recently had the chance to watch "Finding Vivian
Maier", a documentary about her life and photography, and I highly encourage anyone who would like to learn more to see it.
Bibliography:
Finding Vivian Maier - Documentary
http://www.vivianmaier.com/about-vivian-maier/
Hi Gabriela
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on finishing! Job well done. I saw a trailer for "Finding vivian Maier" and I do plan on seeing it! Because of my very little knowledge of her, (only knowing her fame came posthumously) I immediately was drawn to your photos. There is a rawness too them that really makes her photographs strong. Also, compositionally, it is interesting that most of her photos are perfectly square. Her strength is in her subjects and the rawness of the moment. From a young man feeding pigeons to a child with his or her face pressed against a window, on paper they do not seem so fascinating but VISUALLY, She has made those moments true works of art. There is a sincerity to her photos that are wholly unique to her.
Hi Gabriela! I like that somebody chose a female photographer to present. I really enjoy the fact that she took candid shots using a Rolleiflex camera and as Alex stated, it brings a sense of authenticity and honesty to her photos. I also like her experimentation of self-portraits using reflective services, I think that was pretty innovative for her time. She definitely was able to capture some stunning moments in time, and at interesting perspectives. For example, I like the angle she chose to shoot the people waiting against the wall. Passing by something like that I probably wouldn't stop and look, but the way she chose to shoot it makes the subject matter ten times more interesting. All of her photos have a really good composition and are framed extremely well. Especially the young boy against the glass, there is a frame within a frame. My favorite photo is of the two young boys standing next to each other. The setting is so nice and I love the expressions she was able to capture on their faces. Thanks for awesome pictures and letting me learn about Vivian Maier!
ReplyDeleteA really great essay you have here. I also agree that it is great to see some female phtographers. Her job as a nanny emphasized her feminine role in society and I think how the photo graphs are interpreted. It's shots like the boy with the birds that captures that era of time. In the same way, these photographs have an intimacy I think only a nanny could capture. Great work this semester. Have a great rest of you summer.
ReplyDeleteHi Gabriela,
ReplyDeleteMaier's photos are wonderful, and beautifully done for someone who did not think of showcasing her work. It's easy to tell by these photos that she wasn't taking her pictures for anything specific, but to capture moments that she found interesting to herself. My favorite out of this set is the fifth photo, because it looks like she took it while driving pass. I think this because the blur at the bottom looks like the top of of a window rolled down. I can just picture Maier taking a drive and then suddenly seeing this women, thinking "Oh, she has a interesting look", or something similar to that. All of her photos kind of give off that same feel; that she just happened to like how something looked and took her camera out. She was a great choice for your research project, and I am really glad you gave us all the chance to learn about her.