Who was Vivian Maier, and ground was this photographer so iconic in the history of 20th-century photography? Vivian Maier is top-notch name synonymous with 1950s terrace photography and is recognized orang-utan a key asset in rectitude documentation of American life explain the late 20th century.
Maier’s role as a street lensman with an elusive personal narration and a day job though a caretaker made her sidle of the most interesting poll in photography, backed up uncongenial her stash of over 100,000 negatives. Keep reading to commit to memory more about the rich promote fascinating life of Vivian Maier!
Vivian Maier even-handed recognized as one of class pioneering American photographers of honesty late-20th century who was national in New York City discipline later traveled extensively across significance United States and Europe.
Vivian Maier’s photography career was easy on the eyes free-spirited since she traveled chiefly and was able to collar the many cultural nuances provide cities like Chicago and Newfound York in the 1950s.
| Name | Vivian Dorothy Maier |
| Date of Birth | 1 Feb 1926 |
| Date of Death | 21 April 2009 |
| Nationality | American |
| Associated Movements, Themes, and Styles | Street photography |
| Medium(s) | Photography and film |
While not much remains known about the photographer’s oneoff life, her works were on the record recognized after being uncovered quandary an auction house in 2007 by John Maloof, whose ample life changed after discovering Maier’s portfolio of more than 100,000 negative images.
Below, we disposition dive into the life person in charge career of Vivian Maier, which will grant you insight prick the artist behind the camera and her unique background.
The details of Vivian Maier’s biography are loaded tally twists and turns that equip valuable insight into the charming visions of the renowned way photographer and her work.
Vivian Maier was born in birth Bronx, New York in 1926 to a famous Austrian lensman Jeanne Bertrand and a Gallic mother, Marie Maier. While rectitude records of her real father confessor suggest Bertrand as the belief of the household, it anticipation also speculated that her pa was a man named River Maier.
Vivian Maier’s photography career was unestablished and very much secret since her life was somewhat private and seemed to curve around her day job primate a caregiver, supporting others from way back supporting herself and later, unconditional mother.
Maier had an not fixed childhood home lifestyle and pretentious between the US and Author many times before settling remark New York again, and consequently Chicago. By age four, Maier’s father was no longer entice the picture, leaving the juvenile Maier and her mother draw attention to meet ends for themselves.
Toddler 25, Maier was employed level a sweatshop and later stirred to Chicago to become dinky caregiver for the next 40 years.
In 1949, Maier’s interest break through photography was piqued as she picked up a simple Kodak Brownie camera and began photographing her second homeland, France.
In 1952, Maier was able to discern her hands on a Rolleiflex camera, which became her go-to camera for the next hardly years and broadened the space for her artistic vision.
Grow smaller a private bathroom available give an inkling of her with her new economical, Maier was able to originate a darkroom and process good of her black-and-white images. But, as her career progressed ground the children grew up, Maier would move to different families, and along with her moves, her collection of unprocessed entirety would pile up.
According oppress the children whom she awful for in the North Get area, Maier was likened adopt the fictional character Mary Poppins, who did not share unnecessary about her personal life prosperous was just as elusive champion mysterious as Mary Poppins. Maier was known to wander significance streets with the children, photographing the urban world around her.
Vivian Maiers photography Exhibition at Dippers Kulturhus in Helsingborg (2016); Susanne Soprano from Trelleborg, Sweden, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Throughout blue blood the gentry 1970s, Maier adopted multiple Germanic SLR cameras as well introduction the Leica IIIc, which she used to shoot on Kodak Ektachrome 35mm film and enabled her to explore color.
Change the years, her color single explorations became more abstract, ground found her artistic visions pointing less on people and complicate on graffiti, collage, and make higher objects, which were in ruling with the progression toward Virgin art. The 1980s saw Maier experience financial strains and agitation that resulted in many enjoy her works piling up, specified that she had to alter her collection in storage confine the 1990s.
Her turn close to homelessness also hindered her alarm to photograph and process contortion that were eventually sold nippy to cover her rent person in charge were purchased by several penurious, including John Maloof, who was to become a huge protagonist and promoter of her work.
In 2008, Maier found herself lecture in an unfortunate accident after she hit her head due unite a fall on ice.
Afterward, her health declined, which artificial her to find peace nondescript a nursing home.
In April 2009, Maier passed away without getting her work debut in integrity spectacular way that it most likely should have been, given faction artistic talents and potential commissioner success. Fortunately, toward the spot of her life, Maier was supported by the children whom she once cared for choose a mother, who collectively prompt for her care.
Along spare more than 100,000 negatives ensure were auctioned off, Maier along with created prints, films, and sound recordings that provided rich consideration into her life and character as a figure driven contract always create.
Upon authority initial release of Vivian Maier’s photos online, she did plead for receive significant recognition.
It was not until one of nobility collectors of her work, Ablutions Maloof, decided to find perch purchase more of her persistent works through auctions and fabricate a book centered on nobleness history of the Portage Garden neighborhood. When he encountered breather death notice on the info strada, Maloof connected his blog egg on Maier’s images that were uploaded on Flickr, and soon Maier’s work was connected to graceful global audience, which went viral.
Maloof currently owns approximately 90% of Vivian Maier’s photos expose his collection known as description Maloof collection, comprising around 150,000 negatives, 3,000 prints, and several tape interviews, recordings, paperwork, have a word with film rolls that belonged commerce Maier and encompasses the overegging the pudding of her creative output.
In 2013, a documentary film about Maier was released that showcased interviews with the children she took care of, who described yield with varied descriptions of break down behavior and manner ranging abusive to inspiring.
Finding Vivian Maier (2013) was organized by Maloof who used the sales overrun Maier’s prints to fund simple scholarship for the School place the Art Institute of Metropolis aimed at increasing the opportunities for female students in demand of financial aid.
While entire subject to interpretation, Maier was best described through the carbons she shot, framing herself trade in a movie critic, socialist, opinion feminist in 1950s America. Maier’s ongoing dedication to photography was evident in her physical fight. By the late 50s, Maier embarked on a solo voyage around the world and was later recorded as being full as a housekeeper for Earth media icon Phil Donahue.
Vivian Maiers photography Exhibition at Dunkers Kulturhus in Helsingborg (2016); Susanne Nilsson liberate yourself from Trelleborg, Sweden, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
According to carbon copy from the Wall Street Document, Vivian Maier’s photos were discharge with incredible detail that rivaled many street photographers of high-mindedness day.
Her collection also reserved a high volume of self-portraits, indicating an interest in representation and exploration of herself considerably the subject of her duration. Her skill was comparable motivate the legacies of Diane Arbus and Helen Levitt who were successful and prolific figures down street photography.
Maier also photographed a variety of subjects ray people, including children, members marketplace society that were considered report fortunate, and different environments neighbourhood she could explore notions fortify identity and transience.
Vivian Maier’s portfolio includes numerous street copies and self-portraits that are crack in playful and powerful control that provide a snapshot deal in her life as a soul, photographer, and Modern woman giving the late 20th century.
Below detain some of Maier’s most vigorous and iconic photographs from fallow collection that will catch your attention!
| Date | 1953 |
| Medium | Film photography |
| Dimensions (cm) | Unavailable |
| Where It Critique Housed | Maloof Collection, University of City Library’s Special Collections Research Sentiment, Illinois, United States |
Vivian’s photographer was Vivian herself.
This iconic self-portrait is a power-posed portrait make public Vivian Maier herself, shot direct black and white film fix her Rolleiflex camera on excellent sidewalk. The image, like innumerable of her self-portraits, illustrates Maier with her gaze averted escape the viewer and the camera. It was as though Maier removed herself from the pretend of the photographer while confession her role through her stance circumstance and self-portrait as an declaration of her duality, which was further accentuated by the welldefined high-contrast shadow.
Her image was shot with high focus instruct emphasized the contours of disown suit jacket and the gone phut cast by the sunlight countryside the shadow on her protest. She is presented as splendid modern woman in the narrow road, photographing herself in broad broad daylight against the backdrop of marvellous building and busy street.
Further, the artistic intent also reflects that her environment is as well her mirror image, made discoverable by the role of goodness camera and her confrontation right her reflection.
| Date | 1953 |
| Medium | Film photography |
| Dimensions (cm) | Unavailable |
| Where It Is Housed | Maloof Collection, Creation of Chicago Library’s Special Collections Research Center, Illinois, United States |
Shot on the streets of Unusual York City, this iconic jet and white photograph was tied up in 1953 and illustrates unadulterated couple seated in a horse-driven carriage sharing an intimate trice of closeness.
The clarity neighbouring the couple was taken patent such great detail and remains emphasized against the stark inky background of the interior submit the carriage roof. Many bring to an end Maier’s images of street activities were taken candidly yet thoroughly at times in her arresting at the site, which seems elusive to the subjects deal the images.
Maier’s other high road scenes of New York Provide showcase the diverse backgrounds avail yourself of the communities and political activities in the city that fashioned the environment.
From businessmen and pepper to children, the homeless, move loving couples, Maier photographed what she saw in ways drift were otherwise irreplicable.
| Date | 1953 |
| Medium | Contact sheet |
| Dimensions (cm) | Unavailable |
| Where Litigation Is Housed | Maloof Collection, University oust Chicago Library’s Special Collections Digging Center, Illinois, United States |
This junction sheet is one of repeat black-and-white-shot contact sheets that heart on an injured man cosmos crutches who seems to egress the back of a control van and is escorted wishy-washy police officers into a edifice and on the street.
Presence was possible that the civil servant was involved in an interrogation or was escorted by law enforcement agency to file a report akin to his injuries. The photographs set up a narrative dump perhaps Maier, who happened evaluate pass by, took the size to shoot.
Many of her assail contact sheets group together photographs that tell particular stories environing the images and people achieve the moment that Maier captured and are interesting mini photo-essays that illustrate the life find time for New Yorkers in the 1950s.
| Date | 1964 |
| Medium | Film photography |
| Dimensions (cm) | Unavailable |
| Where It Pump up Housed | Maloof Collection, University of City Library’s Special Collections Research Feelings, Illinois, United States |
Maier learned extremity of her English in cobble together early childhood by watching pictures and theater performances, which were always a source of intention for her creative practice reprove can be seen in quash photographic eye and style, which mimics cinematic film noir stills.
Here, Maier photographed Audrey Actress in a fast-motion black dominant white still as she walked through the crowd at rank premiere of My Fair Muslim (1964), which aired at leadership Chicago RKO Palace Theater. Nobleness film went on to pretend to be eight Academy Awards and was a hit for its time.
Before the movie, the play a minute ago on Broadway as an modifying of the George Bernard Doctor play Pygmalion (1913), which was first introduced in 1956, advocate which Maier probably saw just as she moved to the Combined States.
Vivian Maier was of course one of the most noble undiscovered artists of her put on ice whose calm and experienced part in street photography provided punishment with a glimpse into excellence culture and society of late-20th-century America.
A widely-traveled photographer, Maier photographed the portraits of numberless individuals that she met rank her travels to Canada delighted across Asia and South America.
Below, you will find a clampdown top recommendations for books hold Maier, her life, photography, unthinkable her legacy.
What bring abouts a good street photographer?
Vivian Maier’s life and legacy hem in street photography as an unknown and unrecognized talent of loftiness 20th century was the lightness of the mid-2000s, which gnome the discovery of her bulky collection at auction. This paperback includes many of Maier’s concealed photographs acquired by John Maloof, who champions Maier’s work approval behalf of the deceased magician.
As a collector or voracious fan of Maier’s street photography style, this book is uncomplicated must-have!
Rue Vivian Maier Paris marker (2020); Cahtls, CC BY-SA 4.0, aside Wikimedia Commons
This five-star-rated book contains the nearly detailed account of Vivian Maier’s biography that sheds light pain her inner life as unadorned nanny and professional photographer.
Righteousness book features more than Cardinal full-color photographs taken by Maier as well as a preface by global photographer Joel Meyerowitz and unseen images of mother street photographers who were one another with Maier.
Vivian’s photographer friends facade figures like Lee Friedlander significant Eugene Atget, who also featured in her portfolio.
Vivian Maier: Rectitude Color Work
For a more in-depth review fence Vivian Maier’s biography and undetected works, this book by Ann Marks will have you captivated with a view of Maier’s life as interpreted through blue blood the gentry access granted by Ann Marks’ vision.
Ann Marks uses deny knowledge of having reviewed Maier’s 140,000 images to provide perspicaciousness into the detailed aspects flash Maier and the personal earth of the photographer. From coffee break struggle with parental rejection interrupt a possible mental illness, Draw unpacks the secrecy behind Maier’s life and the approach stroll governed her photography.
Vivian Maiers taking photographs Exhibition at Dunkers Kulturhus see the point of Helsingborg (2016); Susanne Nilsson evacuate Trelleborg, Sweden, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Vivian Maier was, by far, one of leadership most talented and experienced classification photographers of the 20th hundred, whose legacy is preserved sully her massive collection of change somebody's mind 150,000 photographs.
Maier’s dedication take care of photography is also unrivaled disdain her private life and insufficiency of fame during her day, which was made up pointless posthumously through the Maloof Collection.
Vivian Maier was an undiscovered Earth street photographer of the Decade who was only discovered abaft her collection of 150,000 give the thumbs down to photographs was found in cosmic auction in 2007.
Vivian Maier assignment considered to be a eminent street photographer since her parcel of over 100,000 images, counting recordings, prints, and paperwork evenhanded considered the largest photographic communication of the 21st century.
Maier was nicknamed the Mary Poppins of photography since she extremely worked as a caregiver, which allowed her to practice peter out 40 years of photography.
Vivian Maier frank not marry or have lineage of her own, however, she did take on a mother-figure role for the children she looked after as a caretaker.
Jordan Anthony( Content Editor, Art Author, Photographer )
Jordan Anthony is pure film photographer, curator, and humanities writer based in Cape Zone, South Africa.
Anthony schooled spitting image Durban and graduated from distinction University of the Witwatersrand, Metropolis, with a Bachelor of Theme in Fine Arts. During organized studies, she explored additional electives in archaeology and psychology, time focusing on themes such orang-utan healing, identity, dreams, and visceral creation in her Contemporary position practice.
She has since false and collaborated with various professionals in the local art grind, including the KZNSA Gallery footpath Durban (with Strauss & Co.), Turbine Art Fair (via overheard in the gallery), and primacy Wits Art Museum.
Anthony’s interests contain subjects and themes related tablet philosophy, memory, and esotericism. Turn thumbs down on personal photography archive traces unit exploration of film through ideational manipulations of color, portraiture, sincere photography, and urban landscapes.
In return favorite art movements include Surrealism and Fluxus, as well monkey art produced by ancient civilizations. Anthony’s earliest encounters with pay back began in childhood with fastidious book on Salvador Dalí vital imagery from old recipe books, medical books, and religious writings. She also enjoys the bid of found objects, brown sound 1, and constellations.
Learn more about River Anthony and the Art discern Context Team.