The Remarkable Vivian Maier Story [Documentary Coming Soon]
I love the story of Vivian Maier – a prolific and talented street photographer who who took over 100,000 images over her life yet showed nobody her work.
Her images were only uncovered and purchased by John Maloof in an auction after her storage locker was repossessed shortly before her death.
At the time of buying a box of Vivian’s negatives John didn’t even know the photographers name and had no idea about her talent – however as he began to examine and scan the images he realised he’d stumbled upon an amazing hidden archive of photos.
He tracked down more of her work that others had purchased in the auction and in doing so discovered Vivian’s name and began to also uncover pieces of her story. Viviane – who worked as a nanny – had taken up photography in 1949. She took most of her photos on days off, at first around New York and in Chicago where she moved in 1956.
She continued to shoot right through into the late 1990s but also shot film and recorded audio. When her work was discovered in 2007 there were over 100,000 negatives and many hundreds of rolls of unprocessed film in the collection. John began to scan and collate her work and shared some of it on a blog and later a website dedicated to the project.
In doing so the photography community around the world became aware of this previously undiscovered talent. Exhibitions around the world followed and more recently John started a Kickstarter project to create a documentary about Vivian Maier.
In the last week a Movie trailer for this full feature length documentary was released which tells more of Vivian’s story and the project.
The documentary is expected to be finished later this year and release dates will come soon. Follow more news of the release on Facebook or on the Finding Vivian Maier site.
You might also like to view this earlier video from Chicago tonight which also tells the story.
10 Responses to “The Remarkable Vivian Maier Story [Documentary Coming Soon]” - Add Yours
February 21st, 2013 at 9:38 am
I love her images and have recently done a little reading on it. She was a fascinating woman, from what little I’ve read. But a big part of me just feels like she didn’t want to share the images, ever and certainly not herself. She was very private, by all accounts. She certainly had an eye for the extraordinary, but I don’t think everything was meant to be shared with the world. Sometimes I think things need to be left undisturbed. Even if it means we won’t be learning from it. This entire movement just seems like it’s going against what she stood for. Now they are selling prints and getting money to make a documentary, which will make a ton of money and provide an income for this man, who I think has quit his job in order to do this and positions himself as some sort of hero.
Vivian’s images are magical. But I kind of wish I hadn’t seen them. I feel a little dirty peeking into them. I won’t be watching any documentary about her.
February 22nd, 2013 at 2:58 am
The O. Winston Link Museum, in Roanoke, Va. USA, is having a showing , ” Photographs of Vivian Maier”.
The link to their site is: http://linkmuseum.org
This event will be held from February 22-May 6, 2013.
O. Winston LInk Museum
101 Shenandoah Ave.
Roanoke, Va.USA
February 22nd, 2013 at 3:24 am
To be able to see an artist’s oeuvre that was created entirely without any critical input at all is a very rare and special thing. It’s an unprecedented look into pure creativity.
Showing your work to others involves the ego part of the brain, and the ego is a powerful force that, at the very least imposes its malicious, perverse influence, and at the very worst destroys artists’ lives.
How and why Vivian Maier managed to avoid the ego altogether and for so long will have to remain a psychological mystery. The fact that she did should be seen as a super-human feat.
And I feel that she would be perfectly happy, now that she’s gone, for others to be viewing, enjoying, and marveling at her work. I’m guessing that’s exactly how she planned it, and if so, it’s nothing short of a miracle that it worked out.
February 22nd, 2013 at 5:54 am
I came across Vivian Maier’s images back in late 2010 or early 2011. Found it marvellous then, going through it all over again still feels the same. I was lucky to have seen the Vivian Maier exhibition at LSPF 2011. Looking forward to the documentary.
February 22nd, 2013 at 10:12 am
Unfortunately, that is how many artists get noticed. Do not begrudge the man for getting something at an auction, seeing its real worth and making it available for the world to see. I, personally, am glad I get to see these photos. So very inspirational. She did spectacular work. If he is making money from this…so be it. We are all benefiting from her work in some form or another.
February 23rd, 2013 at 10:23 am
This is a fantastic story, can’t wait for the documentary.
February 23rd, 2013 at 3:11 pm
First heard of Vivian Maier via Mike Johnston’s blog, The Online Photographer, here:
Visited the Chicago History Museum with my wife expressly to see these images, and was absolutely impressed. I am no expert, but Vivian Maier’s body of work speaks to me like no other street photographer’s; no one needs to tell you you are seeing something special in her work – it is immediately apparent.
I look forward to seeing more of her work, as well as the documentary.
February 24th, 2013 at 2:17 am
I’ve been following the story since 2011 and her work is purely amazing stuff. She may not have wanted to share her images for a number of reasons ie: too many rolls to process, she felt they weren’t good enough, she didn’t want to share…who knows. I don’t think John Maloof’s goal is to reap the benefits of his find, I believe he just wants to share an amazing find with everyone and the fact that money may end up in his pocket is just a sidebar.
February 24th, 2013 at 10:54 pm
watch this to.
http://youtu.be/P_-Zm7VklTM
March 31st, 2013 at 3:54 am
Thanks to you I’ve discovered a photographer! Thank you!
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