It was one of the most bitterly disputed public monuments in American history. Only 21 when her design for the Washington, DC , Vietnam Veterans Memorial was chosen in 1981, Maya Lin has never shied away from controversy. Her starkly simple slash of polished black granite inscribed with the 57,661 names of those who died in Vietnam was viciously attacked as "dishonorable," "a scar," and "a black hole," but Lin remained committed to her vision, and the memorial, a moving tribute to sacrifice and quiet heroism, was built as planned. Since then, Lin has completed a succession of eloquent, startlingly original monuments and sculptures that confront vital American social issues. Freida Lee Mock's Academy Award-winning feature documentary follows a decade in the life of this visionary artist.

Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision features rare behind-the-scenes footage of Lin at work in her studio, and follows Lin as she works on a variety of projects, tackling such diverse issues as world peace, with her design for the Peace Chapel at Pennsylvania's Juniata College, and race relations at the Civil Rights Memorial she created for the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama. As she continues to tackle controversial topics, Lin bravely explores new aesthetic territory, fusing art and ideals to create ever more provocative works that engage the viewer, demanding as much from us as Lin demands from herself. (1996, 60 min.)

The award-winning documentary Andre the Giant has a Posse, by filmmaker Helen Stickler,
chronicles contemporary artist Shepard Fairey’s OBEY sticker campaign, which began in 1989 and has since become an international icon. The OBEY sticker attempts to stimulate curiosity and bring people to question both the sticker and their relationship with their surroundings. Because people are not used to seeing advertisements or propaganda for which the product or motive is not obvious, frequent and novel encounters with the sticker provoke thought and possible frustration, nevertheless revitalizing the viewer’s perception and attention to detail. The sticker has no meaning but exists only to cause people to react, to contemplate and search for meaning in the sticker. Because OBEY has no actual meaning, the various reactions and interpretations of those who view it reflect their personality and the nature of their sensibilities. (1997, 16 min.)

Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision and Andre the Giant has a Posse are being presented as part of the film series Examining Heroes and Icons, which UMMA is offering in conjunction with the exhibition Benjamin West: General Wolfe and the Art of Empire (on view September 22, 2012 through January 13, 2013), focusing on the idea of heroes and exploring ways in which heroes are defined through images.