Vivian Maier, The Self-Portrait and its Double

Art & Culture

2 August 2019

Art & Culture

Vivian Maier, The Self-Portrait and its Double

The Magazzino delle Idee in Trieste is hosting a great exhibition about Vivian Maier, which as an enthusiastic amateur photographer, I couldn't possibly miss!

More than 70 self-portraits, 59 black-and-white, and 11 in colour (the latter exhibited for the first time in Italy) tell the story of this photographer only recently discovered; she lived her life in anonymity as a nanny, mostly in New York and then Chicago, but she secretly cultivated a passion for photography.

She was discovered by a young man, John Maloof, with remarkable intuition (and luck). He acquired more than 120,000 photographic images -- negatives, diapositives, prints and film rolls, which were never developed; they lay in a warehouse and were auctioned off as the rent had not been paid for a long time.

John Maloof bought them by chance, and brought Vivian Maier's staggering photographic legacy to the world, with subjects such as the streets, childhood, the poor, and herself. In her photographs, especially her self-portraits (about 40% of her work), Vivian attempted to affirm her own existence; not so much for pleasure, but as a desperate search for identity and escape from an invisible existence.

Her reflection in mirrors and her shadow, in particular, became her signature.

“If you have something to say, better to be behind the camera than in front”, she said.

In Trieste, until September 20 (open Tuesday to Sunday 10am-8pm; extraordinary opening on August 15) you can immerse yourself in the world and life of Vivian Maier and discover her “double” through her photographs, Super 8 films and the documentary “Finding Vivian Maier”.

If you want you can also try taking a selfie with a Polaroid ; -) After all, Vivian Maier was the original selfie-taker! #IamVivian

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Paola De Cassan

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Trieste, born and bred, I always have a suitcase ready. I love the sea and sailing, ranging from tango to Tai Chi, golf to Nordic walking. I plate of good food moves me, I love photography and have 3 cats I adore! I work in tourism and web and social media marketing.