Photo: Berkeley Center for New Media / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Maya Lin was born in Athens, Ohio, United States on October 5, 1959. Maya Lin is credited as a sculptor, land artist and landscape architect. That works out to 66 years old in 2026. Education on record includes Athens High School and Yale University. Listed accolades include Rome Prize (1999), National Medal of Arts (2009), National Women's Hall of Fame (2005) and 5 more.
My Take
Maya Lin is, for me, one of the most quietly powerful artists America has produced. Designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as a Yale undergraduate barely in her twenties, and weathering the firestorm that followed, says everything about her conviction. What moves me is her restraint: a black wall, a curve of names, and grief made tangible without a single loud gesture. Architect, sculptor, land artist, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, she lets space and silence do the talking. In an age of noise, an artist who can move people through stillness is rare and worth treasuring.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Maya Lin
- Name (Japanese)
- マヤ・リン
- Reading
- まや・りん
- Born
- October 5, 1959 (age 66)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Boar
- Origin
- Athens, Ohio, United States
- Occupation
- architect / sculptor / land artist / landscape architect / printmaker
2. Background
- High school
- Athens High School
- University
- Yale University
Awards & achievements
- 1999 Rome Prize
- 2009 National Medal of Arts
- 2005 National Women's Hall of Fame
- 2004 Pearl S. Buck Award
- 1990 Ohio Women's Hall of Fame
- 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom
- White House Fellows
- 2011 Rachel Carson Award
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Above and Below | — | |
| Notable work | The Wall | — | |
| Notable work | The Women’s Table | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttp://www.mayalin.com/
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/mayalinstudio_/
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya%20Lin
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9E%E3%83%A4%E3%83%BB%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q235063
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Maya Lin born?
Born October 5, 1959 (age 66).
Where is Maya Lin from?
Maya Lin is from Athens, Ohio, United States.
What does Maya Lin do?
Maya Lin works as architect, sculptor, land artist, landscape architect, printmaker.
What is Maya Lin known for?
Notable works include Above and Below, The Wall, The Women’s Table.
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