Lien Botha was born in Gauteng, studied languages at Pretoria University and worked as a Press Photographer for BEELD before moving to Cape Town in 1984. In 1988 she obtained a BAFA degree from the University of Cape Town. Since that time she has participated in more than 80 South African group shows and 15 international group exhibitions and has held five solo exhibitions. She has curated 5 exhibitions including PHOTO WORKS by Women in 1994,BLOEDLYN for the Klein Karoo Arts Festival and INVINCIBLES for the Pretoria Art Museum (both in 1999). During the same year she served on the curatorial committee of the first Cape Town Month of Photography.