A closer look on what held Vivian Maier back to publish her posthumously acclaimed street photography work unveils parallels to a very modern dilemma. To be honest, we’ve all become data junkies, aimlessly stacking digital media just as the nanny used to stack her (mostly undeveloped, unseen) visual material. Nowadays, every new app, every new technical device invites us to produce more of the global amalgamation of data junk. And yet we are rarely invited to meditate about what we produce, why we do so, and what we could renounce to do in order to focus our energy on something more worthwhile.

So let Vivian Maier speak to you, a “socialist worker style” woman with her favorite hat and a shaded, enigmatic glance. Listen: she might tell you about her life, her regrets and unfulfilled wishes. She could talk about her experiences on the streets of Chicago, or maybe not, knowing her photos do the job better than words ever would.

…maybe she wouldn’t talk to you at all. In front of the incredible audience that she got now, I guess she would rather choose to rest in amazement. Eyes intently fixed on what she never expected to happen, she would finally realize how many people are actually seeing her, speaking through countless picture frames. Whoever sees and likes Vivian Maier’s work nowadays can testify what an astounding effect a layman’s visual work can have, once it is physically there, for the world to see.

Now, it’s your turn. Time to take that deep breath of self acknowledgment: If you are reading this, needless to say, you are alive. If so, you got a blissful prospect to fill, with dreams and actions as well. No matter your age and your condition, there is something essential to realize: Nobody is resourceless.

Even in the truthful realization of a lack lies the power to search for a compensation, for help. And there has never been a better time to search for each other, to connect and unite forces in order to get better things and projects done, better stories told. The making of “Finding Vivian Maier” is just one excellent example of it.

(Note: This 6th episode concludes the series “On Creativity: Learning from Vivian Maier”. Your comments are very welcome, I’m curious to know what you think.)