FINDING VIVIAN MAIER (2013) by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel

We'll be meeting at the William's Cafe in Waterloo at 170 University Ave. W, as previously discussed (as stated on other event pages, Meetup isn't updated on this location for some mysterious reason, so apologies for any confusion).

Hope to see you there!

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“An engaging documentary about an enigmatic recluse -- and an incredible talent -- whose works weren't discovered until after her passing. The film features a montage of beautiful images and a mystery story that's as compelling as any fictional film.” Brent Marchant

“She was a true talent. And yet Maloof and Siskel’s film presents an interesting moral quandary along with its profile of an amazing photographer. When does creative ability and the desire to share a true artist’s eye trump what has to be considered an invasion of privacy?” Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

“Maier’s images are truly stunning—vivid documents of the working class that are off-the-cuff yet rigorously composed, always capturing that enigmatic bit of her subject’s soul that leaves you in spine-tingled awe.” Keith Ulhich, Time Out

[Laurie]

I was intrigued by the idea that this nanny/photographer had such an amazing talent and yet was not interested in sharing her artwork with others. Especially considering how prolific she was. She did develop some of her films however left 100,000 negatives in a storage unit. It was not until the contents of the storage unit were sold at auction does this story begin.

When I was younger I spent a lot of time and money on my photography habit. And I did like to take “artistic” shots. Black and white, all kinds of scenes. They weren’t that great. Still, I enjoyed the process. While I did share some of my photos, I realize now that I was taking the photos for myself. Maybe it was something that caught my eye or maybe it was about the meaning of the subject matter.

John Maloof, the co-director of the film and the person who bought the negatives from the auction house has devoted a massive amount of time and energy to achieve this goal of having her work developed, curated and shown in so many places. He was so affected by this whole experience that he became a photographer. Prior to this he was an historian and real estate agent.

Vivian was a private person and now her artwork is out there in the world and the secret is no longer a secret. She kept all those negatives and unprocessed films in storage, which cost her money. Was she trying to preserve them or maybe she was protecting them from being seen? It’s possible she had a plan that eventually she would get some of them developed and maybe show them. Maybe what started out as a simple hobby got way out of hand.

She seems like a person that went quietly through the world, with curiosity and with affection for her subjects.

You can stream Finding Vivan Maier for free on Kanopy.

Happy viewing!