FINDING VIVIAN MAIER

Do you like photography? I do. A few days ago I went to Rome to see a photographic show. I liked it a lot and I'd like to tell you about the photographer's story and to share some of her images with you.

Vivian Maier (February 1, 1926 – April 21, 2009) was an American photographer, but it wasn't her job... it was just a hobby. Vivian was a nanny and she used to be a street photographer only in her spare time.

She took more than 150,000 photographs during her lifetime, primarily of the people and architecture of New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles but she never developed them.

In the same years, the Irish rock band U2 released them famous song “Where the streets have no name”.
The show I saw in Rome is called "Vivian Maier, Where streets have no name" because in this song the rock band describe the 90' society and Vivian was photographing it in the same years.

Unfortunately she died two years after that her shots were found in a box in the city of Chicago and she would never know that she would become famous and be considered one of the most important 90s street photographers.

Most of her staggering number of images have yet to be made public. In mathematical terms, she exposed about 12 frames, or one roll of medium format film per day, every day for about 40 years. Only a few hundred images taken by Vivian Maier are currently known and we can see them in exhibitions and books.

She liked photographing people from behind.

 

 

She immortalized people's expressions and people that were doing their everyday activities.

Vivian wanted to photograph all, without differences or prejudices.

 

She used to photograph herself reflected in mirrors and she had always the same expression: a serious face and deep eyes.

The exhibition in Rome is open until 5th March 2017.  For further info you can visit 

VIVIAN MAIER - WHERE STREETS HAVE NO NAME

(photos by RICCARDO PELLICCIA)

 

When I saw those pictures I was very surprised for their perfection. The shadows are always perfect. I liked that they represented Americans with their everyday activities and hobbies.

 

Also a documentary called “Finding Vivian Maier” was made in her honour to tell her singular story. If you are interested in photography or you are simply fascinated by her story, you should see it. It's very interesting. You can find it both in Italian and in English.

"She photographed everything. She looked around and if she liked something, she opened her camera. She loved reality, poor people, someone that was crying..."

What about you? Do you like her photos? Have  you ever heard of this talented woman before? Looking forward to your comments.

                                                                                                               

BENNY