Maya Lin Biography

Maya Lin is an American architect and artist who rose to prominence with her design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Most of her artworks ranging from small sculptures displayed in galleries to magnificent large environmental installations seem to take inspiration from the natural features and landscape. Born to Chinese parents who immigrated to United States before her birth, Lin was a reserved child and did not have many friends. She was a bright kid who enjoyed her studies and kept herself entertained through reading, hiking, and working in her father's ceramics studio. After completing high school, she attended Yale University to pursue graduation in architecture and subsequently her best-known work, the design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., grew out of a class project during her senior year. Later, after earning a master’s degree in architecture, she got involved in artistic endeavors and built another famous memorial for the Civil Rights movement. In an attempt to avoid being typecast as a builder of memorials, she later shifted to other forms of architectural works such as glass sculptures and art installations. In her long and fruitful career, she has received much recognition for her artistic creations and still continues to be an active sculptor and architect