CONTEMPORARY EXPLORER

  There is certain drama about corners. You never know what’s around the next one. Perhaps this is what adds to their enigma. The word itself surrounded by different meanings ranging from the act of cornering someone to a remote part of the world.  It is our relationship to corners on the street that we encounter the most. Usually these are quick interludes, a fast rounding. Perhaps best when you don’t have all views of the situation. It is rare to see a person occupying a corner, leaning against it or even sitting in a chair. Their positioning key to avoid the constant knocks or interludes of another passerby.  There are rewards for these brave ones. Seeing three sides of the world gives you a feeling of control. It’s an uneasy one though. You still have to be on guard, wary of that the street might throw at you. Still the most successful of these corner sitters can wait for the city to decaffeinate before tackling the day or next corner.. 

We sometimes forget what art really is and what it can do for us.  Recently, much has been written about the photographer Vivian Maier, including a documentary. Still her legacy remain enigmatic. The meaning of her art a mystery. The unique story of her life often eclipsing her accomplishments.  Maier worked her entire life as a nanny in NYC and Chicago in the 1940’s and 50’s. She lived a very private life. Few knew she spent all her spare time wandering city streets with her Rolleiflex taking thousands of rolls of film. Lacking the funds and access to a darkroom, much of her work remained in a locker room only discovered after her death. Boxes of her work were purchased in a blind auction by John Maloof in 2007. Discovering the quality, he has made it a personal effort to exhibit and promote Maier. You can draw many thoughts about her work. Some think it best captures ordinary life, sometimes at the cost of the drama of the street. Others point to the richness of her comp...