Black and white photographs are hauntingly intimate. The soul of the subject seems to seep through the greyscale tones. In a single moment, the viewer is transported to another time, to another dimension of space. They strive to understand whatever inspired the photographer to release the shutter. The work of Vivian Maier, a 20th century street photographer, is no exception. Maier's pieces exhibit impeccable use of shape, color, and composition. Each image is a keyhole, a stolen glimpse into someone's life. Maier's images feature the individuals who comprised New York City during the '50s and '60s: young faces crusted with dirt, middle-aged women in fur collars, ragged men scooping meat from silver tins, congregations of misfits, and pairs of slick businessmen. Like her work, Maier's story is anything but ordinary.
In 2007, a real estate agent named John Maloof bought 300,000 prints and negatives from an auction house in Chicago. As Maloof began rifling through the images, he quickly realized he possessed a treasure. He had acquired hundreds of thousands of black and white photographs by an unknown photographer named Vivian Maier. Maloof was fascinated. He began contacting galleries and museums but none would accept Maier's work. Frustrated, Maloof turned to media. He began posting Maier's images online, and the response was explosive. Viewers were fascinated by Maier's work, but they wanted to know more: who was this mysterious artist? Why did she keep her work hidden for her entire life?
Maloof began a project that would span several years. He contacted families for which Maier had nannied. He initiated a genealogy search, determined to uncover Maier's familial roots. What he discovered was mysterious and controversial. Maloof began to understand why Maier had kept her work hidden for decades. He also learned about her strange obsessions and dark idiosyncrasies.
This past March, a documentary was released. The film follows Maloof on his rambling search to understand Maier and her art. "Finding Vivian Maier" is an engrossing documentation of art, life, and bizarre beauty. Have you seen the film? What did you think?
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