VIVIAN MAIER: Deceased April 21, 2009; Exhibit Closes Today

Via The Obit Patrol

....John Maloof set out to learn more about Vivian Maier. His first Google searches had fizzled, but in April 2009, he spotted her name scrawled on the lab envelope of a roll of developed film. He tried again.

This time, he found an obituary in the Chicago Tribune. "Oh, my God," he said.

Vivian Maier had died just days earlier.

"Vivian Maier, proud native of France and Chicago resident for the last 50 years died peacefully. ... A free and kindred spirit who magically touched the lives of all who knew her. Always ready to give her advice, opinion or a helping hand. Movie critic and photographer extraordinaire ..."

Her 83 years on earth, summed up in 96 words. But one sentence stood out: "Second mother to John, Lane and Matthew." Maloof wondered. Perhaps she was their stepmother?

Maloof called the Tribune, but the newspaper's leads turned out to be dead ends.

Then came one of those serendipitous moments: As he was filing loose negatives and about to throw out a shoe box that had been stuffed in the larger box, he spotted an address in north suburban Highland Park.

Bingo. A starting point.


 And, as they say, the rest is History. Today, Sunday, Aprl 22, 2012 is the final day of VIVIAN MAIER: DISCOVERED.  The gallery will be open from 10 to 5.