Vivian Maier was an American amateur street photographer who worked for about forty years as a nanny in Chicago. During those years she took about 100,000 photographs, primarily of people and cityscapes mainly in Chicago. Her photographs remained unknown and mostly undeveloped until they were discovered by a local historian, John Maloof, in 2007, who tried to contact her only to discover she died (April 21, 2009) several days earlier at the age of 83 after slipping on some ice hitting her head.. Her photos, some 100,000 remained hidden her entire life, tens of thousands have yet to be seen as she left boxes of undeveloped film rolls.
It's best that you watch the Youtube Video below to see the full story of Vivian Maier and how her work was recently discovered.
The first American exhibition of her photos Finding Vivian Maier: Chicago Street Photographer is on now at the Chicago Cultural Center
I have watched this video - more than once, actually. The story about Maloof and his discovery (and subsequent 'exposure') of her photographs is fabulous. You truly do need to view the video to appreciate the enormity of his task.
ReplyDeleteThese photos are incredible! I truly think she should be included among the great photographers of the 20th century. I am an artist trying to get attention for my work...and here she spent her life just interested in the work and not caring at all about being "discovered." It humbles me.
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