She’s called “Mary Poppins with a camera.” I came across the incredible story of photographer Vivian Maier back in October 2011. The Chicago-based street photographer, who worked as a nanny for forty years, amassed a body of work comprising over 150,000 photographs but, during her lifetime, she did not share the pictures with others. When she died, in 2009, she left behind over a thousand rolls of undeveloped film. You could say that it was collector John Maloof who eventually brought her name to fame, after acquiring a box full of Maier’s negatives for $400 at a local auction house in Chicago. Soon after, Maier became an internet sensation and received posthumous fame. The press likened her to such greats as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Frank.
A new photo exhibition of Maier just began in Los Angeles at Merry Karnowsky Gallery. From now till February 27, come to the gallery to see Maloof’s collection of Maier’s lifelong work. Here are a few of the photos that they will be exhibiting, for the very first time. Can’t get enough of the street photographer’s images from the ’50s and ’60s. They’re classic photos that will live on forever.
