Because of Her Story

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I used my marbles.

Maya Lin

Sculptor, Architectural Designer

I EXPLORE how we experience and relate to nature, setting up a systematic ordering of the land, tied to history, memory, time and language.

My art is an ode to nature. The Chesapeake Bay is a favorite. It is intricate and meandering and has been changed by human activity. But, nature is resilient.

To represent its beauty and fragility, I studied satellite images and historical maps for Folding the Chesapeake, an installation of 54,000 marbles. Through this work, I hope to motivate people to protect the bay as a vibrant life force.

Folding the Chesapeake is at the Smithsonian. It will be used to tell Maya Lin’s story and other women’s stories of their passion to protect nature.

Credits

Photo: Wolfe, Alexandra, “Art and Architecture: Maya Lin,” The Wall Street Journal, October 16, 2015. PHOTO MATT FURMAN

Content: Maya Lin, artist talk, 2015–2016, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery; Nodjimbadem, Katie, “Maya Lin Used 54,000 Marbles to Model the Chesapeake Bay,” Smithsonian Magazine, November 9, 2015