The Lost and Found World of Vivian Maier by Natalie

The compelling enigma of secret photographer Vivian Maier continues to unfold as more of her 100,000 hidden negatives come to light...

Vivian Maier, born in 1926 in New York, extensively photographed urban America, primarily New York and Chicago between the 1950s and late 1990s, although recently uncovered films show Maier’s solo travels around the world. Working as a nanny, with no known relatives, Maier remains a mystery to the families she worked for.

The most intriguing strand to this story is that very few people knew she took photographs. Maier shot over 100,000 photographs, which were left undiscovered until John Maloof, a local historian, brought a chest of negatives from a house clearance in Chicago. The negatives, along with 700 rolls of undeveloped films were rescued from obscurity, and on realising the hidden treasure he had discovered, Maloof has been working to share her work with the world ever since. 

Through extensive research Maloof has been painstakingly piecing together the scarce details of her life. In his recent documentary film Finding Vivian Maier, he reveals the strange and very private existence of the nanny. Through the accounts from the families she worked for, the very few acquaintances she met along the way, and her hoarded collections of personal belongings, we begin to build a picture of this mysterious and reclusive photographer. A story of compulsion forms as a darker side to her character is revealed. 

The photographs themselves are beautiful and enigmatic; she captures fleeting moments between strangers and companions. These human interactions have been carefully observed and captured in a tender, yet sometimes humorous way. The extensity of her photographs gives the impression she was impulsive in her approach, capturing unscripted, raw moments, her eye for minute details is flawless. Through the photographs, we are able to see how Maier saw the world; occasionally we catch a glimpse of herself, through the use of reflection or her shadow.

Maier’s photographs have sparked massive interest and her work is being exhibited internationally, which highlights an interesting debate; due to Maier’s private and reclusive nature, what would she think about her success today and were these photographs ever made to seen? Debate aside, the quality, composition and patience of each shot cannot be denied. With thousands of photographs still to be uncovered, a truly fascinating story of Lost and Found. 

You can read more about Vivian Maier here.

Natalie is an aspiring curator. You can find her over on Twitter. Find more posts by Natalie here...