Vivian Maier - by John Maloof (Hardcover)

About the Book

The definitive monograph of American photographer Vivian Maier, exploring the full range and brilliance of her work and the mystery of her life, written and edited by noted photography curator and writer Marvin Heiferman; featuring 250 black-and-white images, color work, and other materials never seen before; and a foreword by New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman.

Vivian Maier's story--the secretive nanny-photographer during her life who becomes a popular sensation shortly after her death--has, to date, been pieced together only from previously seen or known images she made and the handful of facts that have surfaced about her life. During her lifetime she shot more than 100,000 images, which she kept hidden from the world. In 2007, two years before her death, Chicago historic preservationist John Maloof discovered a trove of negatives, and roll upon roll of undeveloped film in a storage locker he bought at auction. They revealed a surprising and accomplished artist and a stunning body of work, which Maloof championed and brought to worldwide acclaim. 



Vivian Maier presents the most comprehensive collection and largest selection of the photographer's work--created during the 1950s through the 1970s in New York, Chicago, and on her travels around the country--almost exclusively unpublished and including her previously unknown color work. It features images of and excerpts from Maier's personal artifacts, memorabilia, and audiotapes, made available for the first time. This remarkable volume draws upon recently conducted interviews with people who knew Maier, which shed new light on Maier's photographic skill and her life.

Book Synopsis

The definitive monograph of American photographer Vivian Maier, exploring the full range and brilliance of her work and the mystery of her life, written and edited by noted photography curator and writer Marvin Heiferman; featuring 250 black-and-white images, color work, and other materials never seen before; and a foreword by New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman.

Vivian Maier's story--the secretive nanny-photographer during her life who becomes a popular sensation shortly after her death--has, to date, been pieced together only from previously seen or known images she made and the handful of facts that have surfaced about her life. During her lifetime she shot more than 100,000 images, which she kept hidden from the world. In 2007, two years before her death, Chicago historic preservationist John Maloof discovered a trove of negatives, and roll upon roll of undeveloped film in a storage locker he bought at auction. They revealed a surprising and accomplished artist and a stunning body of work, which Maloof championed and brought to worldwide acclaim. 



Vivian Maier presents the most comprehensive collection and largest selection of the photographer's work--created during the 1950s through the 1970s in New York, Chicago, and on her travels around the country--almost exclusively unpublished and including her previously unknown color work. It features images of and excerpts from Maier's personal artifacts, memorabilia, and audiotapes, made available for the first time. This remarkable volume draws upon recently conducted interviews with people who knew Maier, which shed new light on Maier's photographic skill and her life.

From the Back Cover

The largest and most comprehensive selection of the work of American street photographer Vivian Maier

Photographer Vivian Maier's allure can be explained by the mystery that surrounds both her life and her work. The story of Maier--the secretive nanny-photographer who became a popular sensation shortly after her death--has only been pieced together from a small selection of the images she made and the handful of facts that have surfaced about her life. Vivian Maier: A Photographer Found is the largest and most in-depth collection of Maier's photographs to date, including her color images.

With lively text by noted photography curator and writer Marvin Heiferman, this definitive volume explores and celebrates Maier's work and life from a contemporary and nuanced perspective, analyzing her pictures within the pantheon of American street photography. With more than 235 full-color and black-and-white photographs, most of which have never been published in book form, this collection also includes images of Maier's personal artifacts and memorabilia that have never been seen before. The text draws upon recently conducted interviews with people who knew Maier, which shed new light on her surprising photographic accomplishments and life.

Vivian Maier: A Photographer Found is a striking, revelatory volume that unlocks the door to the room of a very private artist who made an extraordinary number of images, chose to show them to no one, and, as fate would have it, succeeded brilliantly in fulfilling what remains so many people's secret or unrealized desire: to live in and see the world creatively.

With more than 235 full-color and black-and-white photographs

Review Quotes

"Maier, a nanny with a photography obsession and secretive tendencies, has an astonishing story. But it's her quiet yet piercing images that resonate most." -- O, the Oprah Magazine

"...the largest collection of her work to date." -- New Republic

"Maier, a nanny with a photography obsession and secretive tendencies, has an astonishing story. But it's her quiet yet piercing images that resonate most." -- O magazine

"This dense new book of previously unseen photos (discovered after her death) makes a thoughtful gift for an aspiring photographer, or any fan of Garry Winogrand." -- New York magazine