Until 2007, no one had heard of Vivian Maier. Before John Maloof discovered a vast collection of negatives in a chest at a Chicago auction house, she was simply a nanny. Within 6 years of his discovery, Maloof released the tantalizing documentary Finding Vivian Maier. Soon after the release of the documentary, the late artist’s images could be found in museums and galleries across the globe.
Vivian Maier: A Silent Success
Maier’s captivating images pose a uniquely intimate view of life in Chicago. Her camera of choice, a Kodak Brownie box, was perfect for subterfuge. Maier would walk around Chicago with the children she nannied, capturing secret snapshots of the city’s inhabitants. In fact, some of her portraits encapsulate the exact moment a subject realizes they are being photographed.
A Horse of a Different Color
During the mid 1950s, Maier’s style began to change as she adapted to color photography using her new Kodak Ektachrome. She began to focus on more abstract themes – a distinct shift from her typical portraits. Altogether, each of her photographs are captivating in a new and exciting way. But this makes her posthumous discovery all the more puzzling.
Vivian Maier: A Quiet Brilliance
The documentary Finding Vivian Maier includes interviews with various families for whom she nannied. While conducting these interviews, Maloof found that the artist was an incredibly private woman. Markedly, one interviewee succinctly notes “She was not an open person. She was a closed person.” Perhaps this is why the prolific photographer never sought out publicity or representation.
A Starving Artist
During the 1990s, Maier found herself struggling against poverty and placed all of her belongings in storage as she tried to survive. Despite her efforts, the artist was homeless for a time and her belongings subsequently sold off. This turn of events poses a unique question when it comes to the ownership of art: are the photographs John Maloof’s or Vivian Maier’s?
Who Owns Art?
Maloof, who manages the artist’s website, explains: “All of the images that you’ll find on this website are not from prints made by Maier, but rather from new scans prepared from Vivian’s negatives. This naturally leads one to the issue of artistic intent. What would Vivian have printed? How?”
“These are valid concerns, the reason utmost attention has been given to learn the styles she favored in her work. It required meticulously studying the prints that Maier, herself, had printed, as well as the many, many notes given to labs with instructions on how to print and crop, what type of paper, what finish on the paper, etc.” – John Maloof
So in the end, what do you think? Whose art is it anyway?