Disfarmer Project

Vivian Maier's a big deal now, a complete unknown whose work only came to be widely appreciated after her death. But this isn't the first time such a thing has happened.

Mike Disfarmer was a small town portraitist in Arkansas during the Depression. His name is an affectation: it literally means 'non-farmer', an interesting choice for a guy who lived in a farming community. He was obscure beyond obscure until the late 1970's, twenty years after his death. I bring him up because two nights back I just happened to catch the new documentary Disfarmer: A Portrait of America and it's well worth watching, especially if you're unfamiliar with Disfarmer's work. Many of his portraits really are unforgettable...and just FYI the originals are worth a small fortune.

Here's the trailer for the doc. If you're in Toronto, check TVO for a rebroadcast.