Maya Lin
is an Asian American artist and architect of Chinese descent most famous for designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. The stark, v-shaped, black granite structure was constructed below ground level and holds the inscription of more than 58,000 names of Americans who died in the Vietnam War. Lin intended for the memorial to resemble “a wound in the earth that is slowly healing”.
What an incredible parallel to recognize and subsequently integrate into structural design. It’s even more impressive that Lin had such an awareness at 21 years old, which proved useful when she faced much controversy and had to defend herself and her design in front of the United States Congress.
The minimalist and below ground level design and that the nation’s memorial to a war in Southeast Asia was to be designed by an Asian American left many upset, angered, and confused. A compromise was reached by placing American flag and a bronze statue of “The Three Soldiers” (aka “The Three Servicemen”) to the side of the Memorial.
With an estimated 4.4 million annual visitors, over 25 years, it is one of the most visited in the country. See a list of Lin’s other major works below. 
Lin in the early 1980’s with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial plan
Other quick facts:
- Born October 5, 1959 in Athens, Ohio
- Lin was still an undergraduate at Yale when her design was selected
- She believes she would not have won if the contest was not “blind” - the judges knew the contestants by an assigned number instead of by name
- The Vietnam Veterans Memorial corners face the Washington and Lincoln Memorials
Lin’s other major works include:
- “What is Missing?” conservation installations, various locations (2005-2011)
- MOCA (Museum of Chinese America) New York, NY (2009) Video
- Wave Field, University of Michigan (1995)
- Civil Rights Memorial, Montgomery, AL (1989)
Maya Lin unveils “Unchopping a Tree” at UN Climate Change conference in Copenhagen, Dec 16, 2009
Other Sources & More Info: Wiki, Lin’s website, interview, FAQ on “the Wall”, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4
Other Keywords: Famous asians, famous asian, famous asian architects, famous asian artists, memorialist,
