Some Things Really are Black and White
On September 11, 2015 by Speranza
It never ceases to delight me how much one small thing can just alter your entire mood and perception.
Tonight for example, The General and I had already decided that a documentary would be just the thing to round out our simple BBQ fare but by the time everything was assembled, I was already starting to feel churlish about it, not sure if I really wanted to “think” after such a long day at the office and generally, finding all kinds of reasons that we should once more revert to the dreadfully predictable choices provided by Basic Cable.
(It’s a bit like ordering fast food when you are desperate, already knowing what the outcome will be and despising yourself when it’s all over.)
But for some reason, I just popped the dvd in anyway and for the entire duration, aside from exchanging glances and saying “Okay, wow” at intervals, we were sucked into another age and totally transfixed by the story of Vivian Maier, a nanny, whose extraordinary talent was discovered quite by chance when the film’s director, John Maloof, happened to bid on a large box of negatives at a thrift store auction. He then gradually began developing stunning black and white images which he quickly recognized to be “very good.”
We then follow an excited and immensely likable Maloof as he carefully and sensitively begins to reconstruct her mysterious life using old receipts, addresses and interviews with those who knew her.
The film is quite disturbing at times – Maier herself certainly seemed troubled and some of the work reflects that – but there’s plenty of inspiration and wit to counter balance.
Many of the photographs (surely displaying the only up-side of being a hoarder since she left such a staggering amount of work behind, including audio tapes of her own voice and an entire storage unit of well, let’s say, ephemera) are fascinating in their subject matter.
Her vision for what might work seems instinctive, daring and usually spot on.
“Finding Vivian Maier” is a must-see and I especially enjoyed lingering on all the contradictions afterwards: Vivian was reclusive by nature yet she also stopped people in the grocery store to get their opinions – armed with cassette player and questions – about political issues; some of the children she cared for were clearly negative about the experience, yet others toward the end of her life maintained an apartment for her; even though Vivian sensed her pictures were good she never pursued recognition.
The whole film re-ignited my ongoing interest in photography, especially black and white photography and how powerful it is!
The image above (obviously an imperfect one) is from my own collection and it’s one of my favourites due to the expression on the little boys’ face.
Is he sad, surprised, in trouble – all three?
I absolutely love it and I’m a big fan of this sort of street photography social history style.
Another recent find (thanks once more to The General who is always seeking these bits of sparkle out for me) is Shirley Baker with quite a similar kind of working class sensibility but primarily based in Manchester.
(Incidentally, I’m lucky to work with like-minded people who absolutely “get this” kind of thing and for that, I am very, very grateful.)
Just watched the same movie last week, courtesy of our wonderful local library. It IS disturbing at times. The production is clever to toy with our evolving perception of this mysterious person. A good film, a sad and disturbed individual.