The Enigmatic Vivian Maier

Street photographer; sometimes nanny, Vivian Maier is still not a house-hold name. She remains largely, someone reclusive and unknown to this day. This is changing. Describing herself as a spy and leading a life of secrecy, often entered into shadowy places of full sunlight, discovering and uncovering many stories of the unseen or at least the unnoticed with her camera.  

Maier was brilliant in her efforts, the truest and purest artist in the noblest sense. She remained largely among the unknown and unsung. Maier’s work; just short of genius or surpassing genius depending on the viewer’s interpretation is certainly among the most alluring creators the world of photography is yet to know. The Maier self-portraits are in a league with Cindy Sherman’s; her cunning portraits of children surely equaling those of Sally Mann. And we are still in the process of her discovery.

It was real estate agent John Maloof that discovered the incredible talent and body of work by the completely unknown artist. His lucky, chancy finding happened while Maloof; researching for a book, purchased the contents of an old storage locker. This would prove to be a true treasure for Maloof. Prints, negatives and rolls of undeveloped film were included among the unsorted materials. Maier; the undocumented, extraordinary talent was suddenly found! Maloof began a personal investigation into the maker of this sensational photographic archive. Others have since joined Maloof in his quest to uncover the mystery of the nanny/photographer. Michael Williams and Pamela Bannos too, are working, investigating, and compiling their research on Maier as they put together books and films on the life and works of Vivian Maier. A clearer picture of Maier is coming together from the many individual efforts.

While Maier worked as a nanny she was considered something of a “Mary Poppins” to her children.  They adored her and loved the numerous outings and adventures around New York and Chicago. Vivian always carried her camera and amassed something better than 100,000 images; many that she never printed or even developed. Her camera of choice was a Rolleiflex twin lens reflex that evidence shows she began to use after seeing a documentary on great French Photographers of the early 20^th Century at MoMA. 

Maier recorded her imagery with precision, grace and care. Her photographs are incredibly and generously democratic. Men, women, children, every national origin and station of life depicted honestly with skill, nuance and subtle beauty. For reasons all her own Maier never sought fame or to be paid as a professional. She possesses all the qualities of the great and professional as the work itself most eloquently speaks. Her anonymity remained intact throughout her life. There are creative comparisons to be made to the painter Vincent Van Gogh in their continued devotion to life, art and the expressions of the human spirit. Vincent however did seek and want to support himself financially at least to some degree as is evident in his letters to his brother, Theo. Nothing at this point has surfaced on Maier to suggest she sought either wealth or fame. We are honestly just beginning to write the book of Vivian Maier and may find something to the contrary. Her life remains firmly open ended and without any true definition. When all is said it is really about the work and the process. Maier loved photography, the doing of the thing and her subjects as the sheer volume and quality of her results illustrate.    

Life, death, legacy and purpose were things considered by Maier.  At one point Vivian Maier reflected on an audio tape in this way:

  "Well I suppose nothing is meant to last forever. We have to make room for other people. It’s a wheel; you get on, you have to go in the end and then somebody has the same opportunity to go on to the end…and so on and somebody else takes their place.” 

                                                                                                         Vivian Maier

Miss Maier; as is said she liked to be addressed, made a mark on her time and her world. This literally as she saw, experienced and recorded it. She walked the streets of the city along with her children in tow, in search of mystery, adventure and treasures. What was once their secret is now ours to share, to study, to enjoy, proclaiming with raucous exuberance and “right out loud!”  

John Lennon Drawings (at auction)

As the song and legend goes…It was twenty years ago today that Sargent Pepper taught the band (The Beatles) to play. It was just prior to that he (or someone) taught the band’s leader John Lennon to draw and to write. He did it all with an impeccable style and humor. The ability to see the drama and pains of life while recognizing the element of humor was always a part of Lennon’s life and work. He expressed it beginning in his child-hood and it sustained him as it did his career and prodigious creativity.    

 Lennon is universally known for his achievements in music both as a collaborator and soloist. His drawing and writings are to be noted as well. Sotheby’s just days ago sold eighty nine lots exclusively of Lennon’s manuscripts and drawings.  The manuscripts: “In His Own Write” and “A Spaniard in the Works” were the center pieces. The books were published at the height of The Beatle’s popularity and the song “Paper Back Writer” was another humorous reflection of Lennon’s writings and life at that time. Like the best artists Lennon’s works were inspired by his own experiences.

The drawings were illustrations, random cartoons and whimsical musings largely done for himself, family and friends. Lennon’s drawings are on a par with other of the most popular cartoonists and illustrators of his time. Jules Feiffer, Ralph Steadman and Shel Silverstein all come to mind when looking at Lennon the cartoonist/illustrator. Lennon’s work stands up with the greats of the field.

Another of Lennon’s seminal works was the song “Nowhere Man.” He reflected on the writing of it:

“I was just sitting, trying to think of a song and I thought of myself sitting there, doing nothing and getting nowhere. Once I thought of that it was easy. It all came out. No, I remember now. I’d actually stopped trying to think of something. Nothing would come. I was cheesed off and went for a lie down, having given up. Then I thought of myself as Nowhere Man-sitting in his nowhere land”

                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                   John Lennon

In the animated film “Yellow Submarine” the Nowhere Man is a curiously drawn, genius of sorts. He is a master of philosophy, the sciences and the arts. The self-absorbed creature paints on canvas as he calculates complex mathematical problems. He even reviews his own novel as he writes the foot-notes with his own foot; no less. The Nowhere Man inhabits a blank world surrounded by nothingness and no other beings. The life of the creative individual can metaphorically be much like that. Lennon’s song is telling. His wit and honesty; a constant, his true genius, undenied in everything he attempted and in all he achieved. 

Santana Abraxas

There was a time (really not so distant) that music was pre-packaged and sold in physical stores. Some of these stores were large chains while others were smaller specialty shops. The music was actually cut into large black vinyl discs. To transfer and replay the original music a sharp metal stylus was placed directly onto the disc as a device rotated it at a prescribed speed. The information relayed from the intricate indentations cut into the surface grooves became electronic signals.  The sounds (vibrations) were projected through speakers as remarkable; exacting and sometimes beautifully enhanced versions of the music. Generations were delighted to listen to music in this manner and were not in the least bothered or unhappy to pay reasonable prices for the privilege.

The packages for these collections (albums) were decorative, intricate and witty compositions. They ranged from professionally designed original works to reproductions of popular art and many times photographs. Often the recording artist themselves displayed their own art or those of their friends and colleagues. The images would often wrap around the flat square shaped objects into mural like extravagances. The inner folds of the packaging contained along with the vinyl discs; information, lyrics, notes, poetry, photographs and posters. 

The second album for the now immortal rock band “Santana” was memorable both for the remarkable, visionary music and it’s daring, innovative packaging. The cover was the creation of artist Mati Klarwein. It was a wrap-around reproduction of a biblical event “The Annunciation.” Klarwein chose to depict the virgin as a nude Black woman and the angel Gabriel as a red and blue winged, tattooed herald. The painting of Klarwein was so dense with images and detail that it could be studied many times over as it engaged and challenged the viewer.   What was the symbolism? What were the subliminal messages? The questions remain and are subject to continuing interpretations and discussions. There was also a poster included in the first pressings of the release that was to adorn many a dormitory and bed room wall. The title of “Abraxas” was adopted from the Hermann Hesse novel “Demian.” A line from Demien was inscripted on the cover:

“We stood before it and began to freeze inside from the exertion. We questioned the painting, berated it, made love to it, and prayed to it: We called it mother, called it whore and slut, called it our beloved, called it Abraxas…”

                                                                                                              
                                                                                                         Hermann Hesse

                        

             “Santana Abraxas” was an event; an enduring treasure, a cherished thing.