Ruth Asawa: retrospective

Exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 5 April – 2 September 2025; at MoMA, New York, 19 October 2025 – 7 February 2026; at the Guggenheim Bilbao, 20 March – 13 September 2026; at the Fondation Beyeler, Riehen/Basel, 18 October 2026 – 24 January 2027.

The Japanese-American sculptor Ruth Asawa (1926–2013) used everyday materials to create constantly innovative works across a variety of media throughout her career, which spanned more than six decades. From her student years at Black Mountain College, an experimental institution of the 1940s, through to her later years, Asawa created art every day, exploring the inexhaustible possibilities offered by simple materials such as paper and wire. After settling in San Francisco in 1949, her artistic practice expanded exponentially, giving rise to a diverse body of work ranging from countless variations of abstract wire sculptures to calligraphic-style ink paintings.

This richly illustrated exhibition catalogue explores the astonishing diversity of Asawa’s work: abstract sculptures from the 1950s, wire pieces inspired by nature, clay and bronze casts, paper folds, paintings, drawings, sketchbooks and prints. The book examines how her home and garden in San Francisco formed the heart of her creative practice, and highlights the spirit of collaboration and inclusivity that guided her commissions for public sculptures. Essays shed light on the connections between Asawa and major artistic figures such as Josef Albers, Imogen Cunningham and R. Buckminster Fuller, with whom she maintained long-standing relationships.