Vivian Maier: a photographer's life and afterlife

Abstract

Many know her as the reclusive Chicago nanny who wandered the city for decades, constantly snapping photographs, which were unseen until they were discovered in a seemingly abandoned storage locker. When the news broke that Maier had recently died and had no surviving relatives, Maier shot to stardom almost overnight. Bannos contrasts Maier's life with the mythology that has been created, mostly by the men who have profited from her work. Maier was extremely conscientious about how her work was developed, printed, and cropped, even though she also made a clear choice never to display it.

Contents

Beginnings and endings. A fractured archive ; A new world, a new art form ; A family divided / Photography's complex history -- The emergence of Vivian Maier. Young photographer / final days ; New York street photographer / Viral Vivian -- The reinvention of Vivian Maier. Mysterious nanny photographer ; High art / Downward spiral -- The aftermath. The missing picture: Vivian's Maier's last thirty years ; Those who did not know her ; Who owns Vivian Maier's photography? -- Epilogue.