In the documentary titled, “Finding Vivian Maier”, the mystery of a nanny, now turned national icon through photography and art, is tracked step by step in order to gain an understanding of just who she had been. Amazingly, she kept her work as secretive as possible while alive and would not have been brought under the artistic spotlight if it hadn’t been for John Maloof. The artistic yet simple basis for Maier’s photos suggests a beauty in the reality of life and the many aspects that come along with it.
The film begins with Maloof explaining how he acquired photographic negative film coincidentally through auction in an effort to write a history book. As he unravels the unique and one of a kind photos, the history of the inaccurately documented woman known as Vivian Maier becomes more complex and more questions arise. Maier brilliantly captured subjects of everyday life, most while on the job as a nanny. One of the most prominent curiosities surrounding her photography is the question of why she kept all of the art to herself, capturing so many precious subjects during the early 1950’s. Perhaps this question is what makes Maier’s work so precious and beloved among the art community.
The documentary does an exceptional job at interviewing those who can say they had Maier as a nanny, while they recall what they can of being under her supervision. An unrealistic aspect of these interviews was projected through how vividly some of the particular children at the time could recall events now, noting that it has been dozens of years since. For example, one woman claimed that she had been force fed and choked, which revealed the dark side of Maier. Along with this claim, the woman specified that when she was five years old, her nanny repeatedly hit her head on a bookcase because she could not tie her shoes correctly. It seems as though this type of accusation could have been made up in order to have an appearance on the Netflix documentary, keeping in mind that Vivian Maier’s popularity now reaches artists worldwide. Aside from this portion of the interviews, the documentary’s use of recollections by displaying the houses, parks, and locations that she was known for being familiar with gives the observer great visuals for the entire length of the film. It allows a connection to be made between the settings and the photographs. When watching the documentary, I found myself having little to no difficulty forming a mental image of Vivian’s life. Due to her life and travels being photographed first hand, most of the locations and matters that were discussed had pictures to go along with them.This not only led Maloof in the right direction when tracking Maier’s life but made it easier to educate others on her life’s work.
When discussing her photography and style, she was a woman way ahead of her time. Most 20th century photography included posed subjects of men or women, the depiction of animals such as horses in motion, or depictions of average middle-class society. This is where Maier’s wide array of photographs flourished when comparing it to those of the same time frame. Although an exceptional amount of her photos were of street-based subjects, they seemed to dig deeper than just the basic idea.Of course, all art is subject to personal interpretation, and Maier’s photographs make it quite easy to apply one’s opinion to many of her subjects. For example, a photo of a white child getting his shoes shined by a black child can be deeper rooted regarding racial tensions in the 1950’s. Another example is a photo of an older man and woman sleeping on a bus with her head on his shoulder, interpreted in my eyes as growing old with love until your eyes close for the final time. These serve as examples of where simple photos may have had more complex meanings. The movie suggests these components through the interpretation of her work by some famous photographers of today.
Vivian Maier, leading a secretive yet artistic life, was successfully depicted throughout the documentary. John Maloof successfully revealed her identity to the world, regardless of what she may have wanted. Fortunately for the world of photography and art, the world can now enjoy the work of a nanny doing what she loved. Through the use of her real-life photographs, interviews with people she knew, and other aspects, the movie has given Vivian Maier the recognition she deserved. Not only can those who watch it learn of this woman’s life, but they may learn about what made her work so cherished and world renowned.
