Maya LinMaya Lin

By: Alex ChungBy: Alex Chung

Maya Lin’s BiographyMaya Lin’s Biography

American/ ChineseAmerican/ Chinese

Born October 5, 1959Born October 5, 1959

Ohio, AthensOhio, Athens

Athens is also home of Ohio Athens is also home of Ohio University.University.

Where Lin’s Mother, Julia Chang Where Lin’s Mother, Julia Chang Lin, a poet, was a literature Lin, a poet, was a literature Professor, and her late father, Professor, and her late father, Henry Huan Lin, was a ceramicist.Henry Huan Lin, was a ceramicist.

Style: Landscape/ Architecture/ Style: Landscape/ Architecture/ Memorials Memorials

School: Yale University School: Yale University

Vietnam Veteran MemorialVietnam Veteran Memorial

• As a 21 year old student architecture student at Yale, Lin designed the As a 21 year old student architecture student at Yale, Lin designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as a class project, then entered it in the largest Vietnam Veterans Memorial as a class project, then entered it in the largest design competition in American history. design competition in American history.

• The V-shaped wall of black stone etched with the names of 58,000 dead The V-shaped wall of black stone etched with the names of 58,000 dead soldiers.soldiers.

• Her inspiring vision has since become the most-visited memorial in the Her inspiring vision has since become the most-visited memorial in the nation's capital.nation's capital.

InspirationsInspirations

• She draw inspiration from culturally diverse sources which includes She draw inspiration from culturally diverse sources which includes Japanese gardens, Hopewell Indian earthen mounds, and American Japanese gardens, Hopewell Indian earthen mounds, and American earthworks from the 1960s and 1970s.earthworks from the 1960s and 1970s.

• She also draws inspiration from her Chinese culture. An example would be She also draws inspiration from her Chinese culture. An example would be the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and how it was V-shaped and it the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and how it was V-shaped and it represented the Confucian symbol for Ren meaning “Man” or “Person”.represented the Confucian symbol for Ren meaning “Man” or “Person”.

• Other examples would be the Museum of Chinese in America’s and how the Other examples would be the Museum of Chinese in America’s and how the space reflects a memory of architectural touchstone of Chinese tradition. space reflects a memory of architectural touchstone of Chinese tradition.

Women’s Table: Yale University, New Haven, Green Granite, 1993 Women’s Table: Yale University, New Haven, Green Granite, 1993

A Fountain dedicated to A Fountain dedicated to women at Yale University women at Yale University

Inscribed upon it is a Inscribed upon it is a spiral that traces the spiral that traces the presence of women , presence of women , counting women enrolled counting women enrolled each year to Yale from each year to Yale from when they were not when they were not expected to the present.expected to the present.

TheThe Civil Rights Memorial: The Southern Poverty Law Center, Civil Rights Memorial: The Southern Poverty Law Center, Montgomery ,AL, Black Granite,1989 Montgomery ,AL, Black Granite,1989

A water table that A water table that intertwines historical intertwines historical events of the civil rights events of the civil rights era.era.

It describes what was in It describes what was in effect a peoples’ effect a peoples’ movement, and how movement, and how individual people individual people changed history. changed history.

What is missing?, Listening Cone : The California Academy of Sciences, What is missing?, Listening Cone : The California Academy of Sciences, Bronze and Redwood, 2009 Bronze and Redwood, 2009

Last MemorialLast Memorial

Focus attention on Focus attention on species and places that species and places that have gone extinct or have gone extinct or most likely disappear most likely disappear within our lifetime.within our lifetime.

What is missing?, Listening Cone : The California Academy of Sciences, What is missing?, Listening Cone : The California Academy of Sciences, Bronze and Redwood, 2009 Bronze and Redwood, 2009

2x4 Landscape: Corcoran Gallery of Art, Wood, 36 x 53 x 10, 2006 2x4 Landscape: Corcoran Gallery of Art, Wood, 36 x 53 x 10, 2006

Composed of more than Composed of more than fifty thousand vertical two fifty thousand vertical two by four boards.by four boards.

From above they From above they transform a landscape transform a landscape into a pixel-like hill.into a pixel-like hill.

Storm King Wavefield: Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, NY, 2009 Storm King Wavefield: Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, NY, 2009

11 acres11 acres

The wavefield is The wavefield is comprised of seven rows comprised of seven rows undulating, rolling waves undulating, rolling waves of earth and grass .of earth and grass .

Height is from ten to Height is from ten to fifteen feet, trough to fifteen feet, trough to trough distance of forty trough distance of forty feet. feet.

The Museum of Chinese in America’s(MOCA):,NY,2009The Museum of Chinese in America’s(MOCA):,NY,2009

Museum showing the Museum showing the Chinese history, culture, Chinese history, culture, and identity. and identity.

The space is a specific The space is a specific memory, of an memory, of an architectural touchstone architectural touchstone of Chinese tradition. of Chinese tradition.

DescriptionDescription

Vietnam Veterans MemorialVietnam Veterans Memorial

Artwork: MemorialArtwork: Memorial

Washington, DC, 1982Washington, DC, 1982

When looking at this you see When looking at this you see the names of men and the names of men and women who had fought in women who had fought in the Vietnam War and gave the Vietnam War and gave their lives. It shows that we their lives. It shows that we should acknowledge each should acknowledge each individual for what they individual for what they sacrificed in the war. sacrificed in the war.

AnalyzeAnalyze

Medium: Black GraniteMedium: Black Granite

V- Shaped: It is unknown but it V- Shaped: It is unknown but it was said that the memorial was said that the memorial resemble Confucian symbol, resemble Confucian symbol, Ren , which means “man” or Ren , which means “man” or “person”.“person”.

Ren is defined as a journey Ren is defined as a journey from life to death and back from life to death and back again and embrace a again and embrace a humanistic view that everyone humanistic view that everyone show strive to live in harmony show strive to live in harmony because all people are as one.because all people are as one.

InterpretationInterpretation

Before creating this piece Before creating this piece Maya Lin knew nothing of Maya Lin knew nothing of the Vietnam war because the Vietnam war because she had never experienced she had never experienced losing anyone she loved.losing anyone she loved.

Therefore, Maya Lin’s Therefore, Maya Lin’s interpretation of the interpretation of the Vietnam, the war and death Vietnam, the war and death was abstract and naturally was abstract and naturally influenced by teachings and influenced by teachings and values of her family.values of her family.

Judgment Judgment

We should appreciate the We should appreciate the courage of the many courage of the many individuals who fought for a individuals who fought for a better world.better world.

For others its a place for For others its a place for acknowledgment for the acknowledgment for the bravery and sacrifice for bravery and sacrifice for loved ones who fought in loved ones who fought in the war. the war.

What medium is used in this work?What medium is used in this work?

A: StoneA: Stone

B: Green Granite B: Green Granite

C: Black GraniteC: Black Granite

D: BronzeD: Bronze

Q: What is the name of this Memorial ?Q: What is the name of this Memorial ?

A: Women’s Table A: Women’s Table

B: Vietnam Veteran B: Vietnam Veteran MemorialMemorial

C: Civil Rights Memorial C: Civil Rights Memorial

D: The TableD: The Table

Q: Who was the famous who said this?Q: Who was the famous who said this?

””We will not be We will not be satisfied satisfied until until justice rolls down justice rolls down like waters and like waters and righteousness like a righteousness like a mighty streammighty stream.”.”

A: Malcolm XA: Malcolm X

B: Maya LinB: Maya Lin

C: Mr. GreenC: Mr. Green

D: Martin Luther King D: Martin Luther King Jr.Jr.

What University did Maya Lin attended?What University did Maya Lin attended?

A: MITA: MIT

B: Oxford UniversityB: Oxford University

C: Yale UniversityC: Yale University

D: Berkley University D: Berkley University

What is the meaning of the “Listening Cone”?What is the meaning of the “Listening Cone”?

A: That all lives should be treated equally, and that one man can’t A: That all lives should be treated equally, and that one man can’t dominate over others.dominate over others.

B: That we should focus our attention on species or places that B: That we should focus our attention on species or places that could go extinct.could go extinct.

C: Everything that is around you is spiritual and meaningful. C: Everything that is around you is spiritual and meaningful.

D: One man should rule over others and that everyone is weak and D: One man should rule over others and that everyone is weak and pathetic. pathetic.