Vivian Maier, Early 1950s (Bulger Collection)
Researcher Ann Marks has published the first part of her account of her exhaustive investigations into the life of Vivian Maier. Vivian apparently came from a dysfunctional family, with a drug addict brother and a mother who "appears overwhelmed by narcissism and lacking in maternal instinct—Norma Desmond meets Joan Crawford—with [a] large dose of hypochondria."
It sheds light on why Vivian lived out her life alone as a reclusive and secretive spinster, relying on and apparently trusting no one but herself.
The maternal side of the family was French; Vivian's grandmother became pregnant when very young, the father evidently a farmhand, which is why she emigrated. The Maier side of the family was originally called von Maier. They were culturally German but lived in what is now Slovenia.
It's a long document and I haven't read it all yet, but there's a shorter summary at the Lens Blog.
Part Two is due either today or tomorrow (Part I says Part II will be "will be posted on Tuesday, January 13, 2016," which can't be right, but it must be one or the other).
Mike
(Thanks to Jeffrey Goldstein)
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Mike
Just spent way too much time reading this article, and I have to admit it is some fine scholarship. It took a lot of digging and determination to get this story. I would encourage anyone interested in the history of Photography to take the time to read it. It is both sad and interesting at the same time.
Posted by: Eric Erickson | Tuesday, 12 January 2016 at 11:29 AM
If they lived in what is now Slovenia then they were Austrians, not Germans. (Yes, we don't like the Germans very much here in Austria ;-))
Posted by: Chris Dematté | Tuesday, 12 January 2016 at 11:39 AM
I applaud Ann Marks's efforts. But this is way more than I every wanted to know about Ms. Maier! I just want the pointless legal logjam (concerning rights to her work) to be broken.
Posted by: Kenneth Tanaka | Tuesday, 12 January 2016 at 06:05 PM
Hi,
there is no place called "Modor" in Slovenia. This name could refer to the town of Modra in Slovakia. Before WW I, Slovakia was part the Hungarian half of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Hungarian name for Modra is "Modor". There were many German families in that part of Slovakia.
Slovenia is often confused with Slovakia, see http://www.local-life.com/ljubljana/articles/slovenia-slovakia
Best, Alen
Posted by: Alen Ježovnik | Wednesday, 13 January 2016 at 03:00 AM
I have always thought her story was equally as interesting as her photography and the Marks account just strengthen that belief.
Posted by: D. Hufford. | Wednesday, 13 January 2016 at 07:26 AM