My parents are both college professors, and it made me want to question authority, standards and traditions.
Maya LinRead
I saw the Vietnam Veterans Memorial not as an object placed into the earth but as a cut in the earth that has then been polished, like a geode.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is seen as a natural part of the earth, symbolizing both loss and beauty.
Maya Lin perceives the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as more than just a physical structure; she views it as an integral part of the landscape, a polished cut that reflects the emotional weight of sacrifice and remembrance. This metaphor highlights the memorial's intention to blend with nature while serving as a poignant reminder of those who have served in the Vietnam War.
Themes
VietnamMemorialArtLossBeautyRemembrance
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a memorial service to honor veterans.
More from Maya Lin
All quotes βI try to give people a different way of looking at their surroundings. That's art to me.
Maya LinRead
How we are using up our home, how we are living and polluting the planet is frightening. It was evident when I was a child. It's more evident now.
Maya LinRead
Sometimes you have to stop thinking. Sometimes you shut down completely. I think that's true in any creative field.
Maya LinRead
A lot of my works deal with a passage, which is about time. I don't see anything that I do as a static object in space. It has to exist as a journey in time.
Maya LinRead
When I was building the Vietnam Memorial, I never once asked the veterans what it was like in the war, because from my point of view, you don't pry into other people's business.
Maya LinRead
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