Street perspectives . . .

Vivian Maier (1926-2009)

VIVIAN MAIER WAS A STREET PHOTOGRAPHER, who photographed life in Chicago from the 1950's to the 1990's. Vivian's work was discovered at an auction here in Chicago where she resided most of her life. Her discovered work includes over 100,000 mostly medium format negatives, thousands of prints, and countless undeveloped rolls of film. John Maloof has a delightful tribute to her work here, as does Jeff Goldstein, who has a site devoted to her work here. (H/T to cousin Herb.)

Driven by her sequestered, private motivations, Vivian Maier captured our cities, suburbs and rural towns. A nanny for many years, herself childless, Maier revealed the beauties and complexities of domesticity. Her photographs demonstrate an intimate exploration of family life, as well as seemingly allegorical treatments of “home”—a space sometimes idyllic and whole, and sometimes troubled—as in her photographs of homes destroyed by tornadoes or street riots.