Pin River, Colorado River (Río pin, Río Colorado)

Maya Ying Lin, American, born 1959

2010

metal pins in the wall

Museum purchase with funds provided by Contemporary Forum (ArtPick 2010)

2010.385

© Phoenix Art Museum. All rights reserved. Photo by Ken Howie.

Contemporary

No

Maya Lin’s Systematic Landscapes series explores rivers throughout the United States. Lin uses minimalist forms to examine her deep interest in the environment by digitally mapping out the topographic lines of the winding Colorado River. Blending natural lines with a scientific structure, she manipulates the data into an actual physical form. Thousands of silver pins are strategically gridded into detailed maps with specific instructions for installation.



Lin created this piece with Arizona in mind, since the Colorado River is an essential source of energy and water for the state. Pin River challenges us to think differently about the relationship with our surrounding landscape. Through this re-interpretation the artist creates a visual language out of the land, executed through a meandering flow of silver and shadow.