i’ve come to the conclusion that true artists are obsessive. they live to create, repeating themselves, over and over again. their work is never done and they are often too shy to show it to many people. over the years, they follow their subjects, seemingly compelled to explore them from 360 degrees. and they rarely feel their work is worthy.
here’s an example. a woman named Vivian Maier who took pictures and films throughout her life, and never told her friends/acquaintances about it. at some point, her many boxes were put up for auction and a real estate agent named John Maloof purchased her negatives for a nominal fee. he’s created an entire collection of Maier’s street photography that has toured London, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Hamburg and Oslo. a documentary is scheduled for release in 2013.
there’s no doubt that Vivian Maier captured her characters from a close perspective. it’s as if she claimed them by puncturing their personal space. she had, i would say, an unswerving eye. it seems her compulsion was simultaneously creepy and energetic.
her art speaks for itself.
do you like to have your photograph taken?