The self-portraits of Vivian Maier

The work of Vivian Maier (New York, 1926-Oak Park, 2009) is one of the most important legacies of 20th century photography, and now it can be revisited again through the exhibition 'The self-portrait and the double headquarters', presented in the Government Exhibition Hall , in the Central Park of Andorra la Vella.

What makes Maier unique is not only the extraordinary volume of his work - more than 120,000 negatives - but the enigmatic way in which he made his own image a meeting point between the outside world and his inner universe. The exhibition, curated by Anne Morin of DiChroma Photography , invites you to explore almost a hundred self-portraits that seem to project a gaze that seeks to recognize itself in the reflection of a window, a shadow or a mirror.

Maier lived a low-key life working as a nanny while unassumingly amassing a vast archive of images that she never even revealed in her lifetime. Only in 2007, almost by accident, did his archive come to light, triggering a reassessment of his figure. This belated discovery has turned Maier into a global phenomenon, and his name is now alongside iconic figures such as Diane Arbus , Robert Frank and Helen Levitt .

© 2024 Maloof Collection

The self-portraits on display in Andorra, dated between the 1950s and 1980s, transport us to the streets of Chicago and New York and reveal Maier's ability to capture the essence of urban spaces. But in these portraits there is not only a testimony of his surroundings; there is also an intimate dialogue between the artist and his own reflection, a game of presences and absences that establishes a reflection on identity. In a time when the personal image is exhibited without reservations, Maier's proposal, to look at herself with distance and curiosity, becomes modern and at the same time countercultural.

His compositions, full of detail, make each image seem both spontaneous and meticulously deliberate. At the same time, they are perceived as a vindication of his presence, despite having lived in anonymity for most of his life.