Last week, I watched the Academy Award-winning documentary (Maya Lin: A Strong, Clear Vision) on Maya Lin, the Chinese-American artist who designed the Vietnam War Memorial. I was impressed by Lin's faith in the sheer simplicity of design and geometry in all of her work. Her aesthetic embraces the elements of the earth and it also reflects her grasp of the philosophy of her work.
One thing that I noticed and found fascinating in the film was Lin's transformation and maturation that took place on screen. When Lin was contacted that she won the Vietnam Memorial competition, she gave a speech in which she was confused ("I don't really know what's going on"), awkward and giggling. She was in her early twenties, a student at Yale who didn't quite understand the battle that was going to ensue.
What I found fascinating was the complete change in her speaking and self-presentation at the 10-year anniversary of the building of the memorial. Lin was a completely different speaker: mature, somber, humble, calm. Speaking is the precursor to writing, and I believe writing is of the utmost important to an artist. To be able to express your vision, and thoughts in a coherent way is vital to presenting your work. People's can't engage or be interested in your work if you can't explain it (or at least articulate that you can't explain it either). The film made visible Lin's transformation and maturation as an artist through the way she spoke and presented herself throughout the years.
One thing that I noticed and found fascinating in the film was Lin's transformation and maturation that took place on screen. When Lin was contacted that she won the Vietnam Memorial competition, she gave a speech in which she was confused ("I don't really know what's going on"), awkward and giggling. She was in her early twenties, a student at Yale who didn't quite understand the battle that was going to ensue.
What I found fascinating was the complete change in her speaking and self-presentation at the 10-year anniversary of the building of the memorial. Lin was a completely different speaker: mature, somber, humble, calm. Speaking is the precursor to writing, and I believe writing is of the utmost important to an artist. To be able to express your vision, and thoughts in a coherent way is vital to presenting your work. People's can't engage or be interested in your work if you can't explain it (or at least articulate that you can't explain it either). The film made visible Lin's transformation and maturation as an artist through the way she spoke and presented herself throughout the years.
