To kick off our Women’s History Month retrospective is Vivian Maier, a private, mysterious, and eccentric nanny who doubled as one of the most prolific photographers never known.

The Oscar-nominated documentary Finding Vivian Maier is about the woman who took over 150,000 photographs without telling anyone about her secret passion. Kids she nannied remember having off-the-wall adventures with her, and that she always had a Rolleiflex around her neck, constantly snapping away—but no one ever saw her prints.

It wasn’t until 2007 when John Maloof purchased a huge box of negatives at an auction for a personal project. What Maloof discovered were the photos of now one of the 20th century’s greatest photographers. Maloof quickly decided to purchase all of her prints and negatives he could (some were hidden in storage lockers and not discovered until decades later). From there Maloof put together the first art show for Vivian in Chicago.

The documentary, directed by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel, uncovers Maier’s mysterious life through her passion for photography. A woman no one is really ever knew is brought into the spotlight through her never before seen photographs and films as well as interviews with dozens of employers and neighbors who thought they knew her—but really didn’t.

Currently, Vivian Maier’s body of work is being archived, cataloged, and on display at exhibitions around the world. Maloof is still reconstructing the Vivian Maier archive, with roughly 90% of her archive reconstructed. Though there is currently much controversy surrounding the rights to Maier’s work, her talent speaks for itself.

The re-discovery of Vivian Maier and uncovering her photography shows a side of what some would deem an underwhelming nanny in overwhelming times. But one look at her photos and you find the remarkable, amazing brilliance of a woman shining through the other side of her camera. Vivian Maier  : February 1, 1926 – April 21, 2009                                    VivianMaier.com

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