Contents
Ruth Asawa
The sculptor who turned looped wire into intricate hanging forms that seem to draw in space.
Looped-wire sculptures · Mermaid Fountain
- Born
- 24 January 1926
- Birthplace
- Norwalk, California, United States
- Died
- 6 August 2013
More people
Ruth Asawa
Ruth Asawa made transparent sculptures from repeated hand-worked loops. She also became an influential advocate for public art and arts education in San Francisco.
Early life
California farm
Grew up in a Japanese American farming family.
Incarceration
Her family was incarcerated during the Second World War; she continued drawing in camp.
Career
- 1946
Black Mountain College
Studied in the experimental arts community.
- 1949
San Francisco
Settled in the city and developed her sculpture practice.
- 1960s
Public commissions
Expanded into fountains and community arts work.
Selected work
Looped-wire sculptures
Interlocking forms hang without becoming visually solid.
Mermaid Fountain
A public fountain in San Francisco.
San Francisco Fountain
Depicts the city through small modelled scenes.
Beyond work
Arts education
Worked to bring practising artists into public schools.
Family collaboration
Her home and family life remained closely connected with making art.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Original photograph. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
Photo: Imogen Cunningham. Photo © Imogen Cunningham Trust. Artwork © 2024 Ruth Asawa Lanier, Inc., Courtesy David Zwirner. Copyrighted image; source credit retained · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.