Another treasure trove of old photos...

Just wow.

 

Interview: Over 30,000 Secret Photos by “Russian Vivian Maier” Are Discovered in Attic

My reaction to the first few images was sort of muted, but as I looked further, I was glad that I hadn't quit. Thanks for linking to this.

Just wow.

 

Interview: Over 30,000 Secret Photos by “Russian Vivian Maier” Are Discovered in Attic

Obviously a fascinating story, The photos take life and have more meaning as you read through the article.

It is a wonderful find IMHO.

One wonders how many "digital photo treasures" will be lost to future generations , due to the relatively short "shelf life" of digital media.

Thanks for posting this link.

I watched a documentary film about Maier, and what I found most fascinating - aside from her work - was how she kept her passion for photography secret.

I find it funny (not funny ha ha) how, and this happens more than occasionally, this woman is dudded the “Russian Vivian Maier”.

 

I suppose we humans simply must auto-connect any find or cache of work by any unknown to a famous or known artist? In an effort to perhaps contextualize a body of previously unseen work made by an unknown person? Or rather to place the works into a box in which it might not fit, exactly?

 

Well by my way of thinking, it’s a good way to draw immediate attention to this woman and her work. But the body of material goes on to stand strong on its own, carrying the weight of its own merit quite handily- without further need to be propped up by the name of any other.

 

IMO the daughter is doing honorable & justifiable service to her mother’s person, life, and life’s work, in bringing this cache, held in darkness for so long, into the light of day.

without further need to be propped up by the name of any other.

I don't think it's any more influential to associate her with Vivian Meier than to contextualize (and elevate?) her work by the story of her daughter's finding and making public photos that her mother had kept private within a particular personal and socio-political milieu.

 

The back story may be more significant than the photos themselves.

 

The photos included in the article don’t strike me as extraordinary or as telling much of the story being told by the daughter. They may be decent photos but they're unremarkable, IMO. They embody a certain by-now-familiar look, with not much that's unexpected or gives me new insights or that projects personality or point of view. It's complete with people and their pets perhaps given more weight by being in black and white, some relatively accessible street puns, and a few less-deep-than-Arbus types.

It shows that Russians (not unexpectedly) are "people too", which is nice. I like them, but then I am interested in Russians. Whether they are earth shattering it is not possible to tell from the selection. if there are 30,000 then only a very few are likely to be.

One wonders how many "digital photo treasures" will be lost to future generations , due to the relatively short "shelf life" of digital media.

Thanks for posting this link.

 

Thats right, plus password protection.

 

Put your stuff on M-Disc or hi grade BD-R.

Photos of people who live in cold water flats yet read Gogol are always profoundly affecting. Thanks rico for posting this.

Poignant reminder of the old Russian saying: "Under capitalism, man exploits man; under socialism, it's just the other way around."

The photos included in the article don’t strike me as extraordinary

I agree. I am a very big fan of Vivian Maier so perhaps my expectations were raised too high by the headline. The photos in the article, while very good, did not come close to VM's work - in my humble opinion. Still, I liked the article and I thank the OP for posting and making me aware of it.

I admire the warmth and tenderness of her photos of people, presented in the article. I hope to see more of her work. I see no connection between her photo work and VM's. The connection offered is merely both not having had their work known for awhile.