Remsen Wolff a.k.a. Viv Blum

Remsen Wolff (New York, 1940-1998) was a self-taught street and studio photographer, poet, and social activist. The only son of artist Isabel Bishop and neurologist Dr. Harold G. Wolff, he graduated in art history from Harvard University in 1963. He married, had two daughters, and after his divorce, he travelled extensively throughout the US and Europe, photographing people in public spaces.

In 1985, the State of Texas mistakenly accused him of being a serial killer, resulting in a compensation that made him an instant millionaire, allowing him to pursue photography freely.

Struggling with his identity and gender, Wolff became fascinated by Klaus Nomi and the performance artist Lypsinka. He developed a love for transgender people, which led to his extensive series “Special Girls – A Celebration,” featuring 150 models from Amsterdam and New York. His archive spans forty years and contains over 200,000 images.

He referred to himself as a “phony/faux transsexual” and adopted the fictitious name Vivienne (Viv) Blum in his final years. This period was characterized by severe depression; suffering from agoraphobia, not being acknowledged by the art world, and a cancer diagnosis led to his suicide. He left his archive to his Dutch assistant, Jochem Brouwer, whom he called “my only friend.”