Two events delve into mystery of photographer Vivian Maier

The Park Art Center is offering two events this month in conjunction with "Vivian Maier Uncrated," its exhibit of Vivian Maier's photography, which runs through Saturday, July 30, at 9 E. Park Blvd., Villa Park.

A free showing of the movie "The Vivian Maier Mystery" will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 20. The two previous showings brought standing room only audiences.

Then, at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 28, Ann Marks, researcher and author of "Vivian Maier Developed," will present her findings in an illustrated talk that reveals many of the secrets of the mysterious Vivian Maier.

Marks speaks about what she has discovered about Maier's history and family since the film was released. A question-and-answer session follows. A live stream of Marks' presentation will be available from the PAC Facebook page and website, parkartcenter.org.

Maier, a Chicago area photographer, was a mysterious woman who guarded her personal privacy very carefully. Working as a nanny all of her adult life, she took more than 100,000 pictures, most left undeveloped, many taken in downtown Chicago and the North Shore suburbs.

Since Maier's death in 2009, her passionate secret hobby became known worldwide when the contents of her unpaid storage lockers were sold and her negatives were discovered. Maier is now recognized as a skillful street photographer and her work has been shown in galleries and museums in major cities all over the world.

After learning about Maier, Marks was inspired to unlock the mystery of Maier's background and family history.

Her findings have informed a deeper understanding of the photographer and even greater appreciation for Maier's artistry. Marks continues to collaborate with John Maloof, Jeff Goldstein and Stephen Bulger, the curators and owners of the vast majority of Maier's work, to extract new biographical information from the archive's images.

These two events are in conjunction with the Vivian Maier photography exhibit, which will run through July 30. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The Park Art Center collaborated with a private collector to share Maier's work to the public for a free, educational experience.

"It is so rare that an exhibit of this caliber is available so close to home. The captivating photos reflect the daily life of ordinary people taken in the 1950s and 1960s," said Wendee Goles, president of the Park Art Center.

Maier captured the fleeting glances of children, men and women expertly on film and showed the grit of Chicago street life during this time period. A Vivian Maier limited edition photography book, as well as a vintage Rolleiflex camera similar to Maier's, also are available for viewing.

For details, call Wendee Goles at (630) 501-1455 or visit parkartcenter.org.