Finding Vivian Maier

Vivian Maier’s story is one of the most remarkable in the history of photography.

For nearly 40 years, while working as a nanny, she walked the streets of New York and Chicago with a camera around her neck, taking it wherever life was unfolding: into the everyday rhythm of the city, among passers-by, fleeting encounters and ordinary moments.

A quiet observer, Maier captured the street life of New York and Chicago from the 1950s through the 1980s with an extraordinary instinct, offering a unique glimpse into everyday life in post-war America.

Her vast archive, comprising more than 120,000 negatives, home-made documentary films and audio recordings, was only discovered after her death. This chance discovery revealed the extraordinary scope and talent of her work and brought the previously unknown Maier into the ranks of the most significant street photographers of the 20th century.

The unexpected emergence of a body of work that had remained hidden from the world for decades opened one of the most mysterious and remarkable chapters in the history of photography. The documentary Finding Vivian Maier (USA, 2013) tells this story, following the accidental discovery of Maier’s work while also attempting to unravel the mystery of the photographer herself.

For a more layered experience, combine your film and exhibition visit by purchasing a combo ticket. This gives you the opportunity to visit the Vivian Maier exhibition before or after the screening and experience her story both on screen and in the gallery.

The film will be screened in English without Estonian subtitles.

With a combo ticket, your exhibition ticket is valid for a visit to Fotografiska between 19 September and 30 November 2026. The exhibition ticket included in the combo is available at a reduced price compared to a regular exhibition ticket.

To enter the exhibition, simply show your cinema ticket at the Fotografiska ticket desk. If needed or preferred, you can use the lift to move between floors.