In December I posted a bit on Vivian Maier who worked as a nanny in the Chicago area. She was also a street photographer whose work was discovered by accident after she died. Here's a bit of video that tells her story. Thanks Roddy.
I didn't see any reference that she made prints of her own work. Very strange.
It's possible that she developed her own negatives, since it would be cheap and easy to do in any small room with a sink (a bathroom or laundry room). Making prints is another story, however. You really need a proper darkroom and an enlarger. That probably wasn't possible when you've just got a room in someone else's home.
Maybe she never saw the finished result of all those thousands of negatives, except in her own imagination.
I have made a new contact on Facebook through these posts. She sent me a number of articles in exhibits of Vivian's work. Once I'm free to take vacation I may take one in.
Lots of cool stuff there.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see any reference that she made prints of her own work. Very strange.
It's possible that she developed her own negatives, since it would be cheap and easy to do in any small room with a sink (a bathroom or laundry room). Making prints is another story, however. You really need a proper darkroom and an enlarger. That probably wasn't possible when you've just got a room in someone else's home.
Maybe she never saw the finished result of all those thousands of negatives, except in her own imagination.
A fascinating story.
I have made a new contact on Facebook through these posts. She sent me a number of articles in exhibits of Vivian's work. Once I'm free to take vacation I may take one in.
ReplyDeleteI found an interesting article in Chicago Mag that has a lot more information about her life. She even worked for Phil Donahue for a short while.
ReplyDeleteThere's 3 pages to the article, however, and I initially thought it ended on the first page.
http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/January-2011/Vivian-Maier-Street-Photographer/index.php?cparticle=1&siarticle=0#artanc
Thanks Sharktooth. I'll read it later.
ReplyDelete