Amateur Photographer - UK (2019-09-06)

8 31 August 2019I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113

Also out now

Thelatestandbestbooksandexhibitions

from the world of photography

BritishLifePhotographyAwards

TheGardenRoomsat Tennants,Leyburn,

Yorkshire,until3 September.AtRedbrick

Buildingin Glastonbury,Somerset,from

14 Septemberto 13 October.Entranceis free.

WITHtenseparatecategoriesincludingrurallife,

portraiture,BritsonholidayandBritishweather,the

BLPAsaimstoshowcaseandcelebrateBritishlifeand

culture,withworkfrombothemergingandestablished

photographers.Theexhibitionof thewinningimages

hasbeentouring,andyou’vestillgota chancetoseeit

in twofinalplacesbeforeit finishesin October– onein

Yorkshire,andanotherin Somerset.Thisyear,the

overallwinnerwasAmyBateman,whotookhomethe

prizeforherself-portraittakenduringlambingseason

(pictured).It’sjustoneof numerousimageswhichshow

themanyandvariedaspectsof lifeonoursmallisland.

Ifyou’vegotanyinterestin documentaryand

reportage,it’swellworthmakinganefforttogetalong

tooneof theshowsif possible– andperhapsit’llgive

youinspirationtoentersome of your own shots next

year, too.Amy Davies

© AMY BATEMANN

Vivian Maier

Runsuntil 14 Septemberat Huxley-ParlourGallery,3-5SwallowStreet,London,W1B4DE,

opening times Monday-Saturday 10.00-17.30. Entrance is free.

A

lthoughprettymuchunknown

throughoutherextraordinarily

ordinarylife,thephotographs

of VivianMaierhavecometo

receivemuchacclaimsince100,000of

hernegativeswerediscoveredin 2007.

Shewasa photographerwho

predominantlyshotin monochrome,but

thisexhibitiondisplays,manyforthefirst

time,someof herlesser-knowncolour

works.Maierspentmorethan 40 years

workingasa nannyforfamilieson

Chicago’sNorthShore,withherspare

timededicatedtowanderingthestreets

of thatcityandalsoNewYork.

Documentingfragmentsof everyday

urbanlife,herhugebodyof workis a

fantasticpeekintowhatlifemusthave

beenlikeat thattime.

Maierleftbehindmorethan150,

photographic images, including prints,

negatives,transparencies,androlls

of undevelopedfilm.Theworkwas

discoveredbychancewhena storage

lockerwasseizedafterMaierfellbehind

withherrent.Shediedin 2009,aged83.

Sincetheirdiscovery,manyof herimages

havebeenpublishedin booksand

exhibitedin museumsandgalleries,

whilethe 2013 documentaryfilmFinding

VivianMaierwasnominatedforan

AcademyAward.

Theimagesheredatefrom 1960 to

1984,showingscenesfromNewYork

andChicago,aswellasseveralof Maier’s

stagedbutoftenenigmaticself-portraits

• a selfie pioneerif youwill.Maierwould
  makemorethan40,000colourpieces,
  workingwithEktachromecolourslides
  whicharedecidedlymoreabstractthan
  themorestraightforwardblack& white
  workshetendstobeknownfor.
  Hereshefocusesherlensontexture
  andpattern,aswellasfoundobjects,
  newspapers,graffiti andsoon.Thisallows
  ustoseethatnotonlywasMaieran
  expertat composition,shealsohada
  carefulunderstandingof colourbalance
  andharmonywithintheframe.
  If you’reasfascinatedastherestof
  theworldseemstobewithVivianMaier,
  you’vejustaboutgotenoughtimeto
  checkoutthisshow,whichcomes highly
  recommended.Amy Davies

Chicago, April 1977

BOOK

EXHIBITION

EXHIBITION

UrbanGypsies

ByPaulWenham-Clarke,HoxtonMiniPress,

£17.95, 128 pages, hardback, ISBN 978-1-

910566-49-

THENINTHbookin HMP’s(Hoxton

MiniPress)‘TalesfromtheCity’series,

UrbanGypsiesis a fascinatingglimpse

intothelivesof a groupof Travellers

livingbeneaththeWestway,anelevated

motorwaywhichconnects the suburbs

of Londontotheinnercity.

Hereis a culturethatis sooftenstigmatised,and

a specific communitythathasfounda homehere

formorethan 40 years,yetcontinuestolivewith

theconstantthreatof being moved on and losing its

identityforgood.

PaulWenham-Clarke’sportraitsarecareful,

considered,andnon-judgementalandareclearly

theresultof a deeprespectforthecommunitywhose

trusthegainedafterseveralyearsof trying.Forthose

interestedin localandcommunityprojects,thisis a

perfectexampleof whatcanbeachievedwithhard

work and determination.★★★★★Amy Davies

Colour Photographs

Self-Portrait, Chicago, June 1976

© ESTATE OF VIVIAN MAIER, COURTESY MALOOF COLLECTION AND HOWARD GREENBERG GALLERY, NEW YORK

©
ESTATE OF VIVIAN MAIER, COURTESY MALOOF COLLECTION AND HOWARD GREENBERG GALLERY, NEW YORK