Learning from Vivian Maier #1: Stockyards & trash puppets

At this year’s Berlin film festival Berlinale, John Maloof’s documentary “Finding Vivian Maier” touched me most in my own experience of being creative. Vivian Maier is one of those antiheroes most of us probably wouldn’t have liked, had we met her personally. Many statements of people who knew her evidence what an awkward person she must have been – a gifted street photographer hidden in the body of a nanny.

Vivian Maier urban offside Chicago
Where did Vivian Maier’s clandestine visual work in the streets of Chicago stem from? More importantly, how could such a talent unveiled posthumously by the assiduous work of others remain completely unacknowledged during her lifetime?

Vivian Maier trash puppet
In the following posts I will alternate my sketch notes of the film with key insights Vivian Maier’s story provides about creative production in general.

4 responses to “Learning from Vivian Maier #1: Stockyards & trash puppets”

  1. Vivian Maier’s original trash puppet picture that inspired my concluding sketchnote of this post can be found here: http://www.vivianmaier.com/gallery/street-5/#slide-15

  2. Brilliant! Don’t forget to check out http://www.vivianmaiermysterymovie.com

  3. Pack rat and social recluse, for sure. But she had a crystal clear vision as a photographer. Great set of comics on her posthumous fame.

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