Ruth Asawa is known for her looped wire sculptures, which have been displayed across the nation. With a retrospective of the artist traveling from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the works of the late modernist sculptor are set to be displayed in permanent exhibition space at Minnesota Street project, opening May 9.
Minnesota Street Project’s Executive Director, Aimee Le Duc said, “Minnesota Street Project was built to provide sustainable, long-term space for galleries, artists and arts organizations, and Ruth Asawa spent her career demonstrating that kind of sustained commitment to San Francisco.”
The Minnesota Street Project is located in San Francisco’s Dogpatch district, consisting of art galleries and pop-up exhibitions at 1275 Minnesota St. and 1150 25th St. that are free and open to the public. Founded by Deborah Rappaport and Andy Rappaport in 2016, the organization is centered around the couple’s philanthropic support for the arts. On their website, the organization presents themselves towards the community as “economically sustainable spaces for art galleries, artists and related nonprofits.” Additionally, the Minnesota Street Project is a proponent for the contemporary art community of San Francisco, with goals towards building an internationally recognized art destination.
The exhibition will be an extension of the artist’s family-run estate, with the opening exhibition having been curated by two of Asawa’s daughters: Addie Lanier and Aiko Cuneo. Their exhibition, “Ruth Asawa: Untitled,” will include a variety of Asawa’s famous and rarely-displayed looped wire sculptures in addition to casted artworks, paperfolds, watercolors, drawings and copper foil. According to Asawa’s estate, forthcoming exhibitions are set to present lesser-known and never-before-seen works by the artist alongside the artworks of Asawa’s friends.
Born Jan. 24 1926, Asawa was the fourth of seven children to Japanese immigrants. Her legacy of creativity and advocacy have cemented her role in the diverse tapestry of San Francisco’s history, with her commitment to fighting for equal access to arts education, leading her to found the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts in 1982.
Asawa spent her childhood on a thriving small farm, though during World War II, the Asawa’s would be separated into different internment camps. Ruth left the camp to study at Milwaukee State Teachers College on scholarship. However, after realizing she would not be able to find employment in Wisconsin as a teacher due to her Japanese heritage, she traveled to Black Mountain College in North Carolina where she engaged with artists such as Josef Albers and Buckminster Fuller who would nurture the beginnings of Asawa’s artistic foundation and philosophy. After learning a unique basket crocheting technique in Mexico, Asawa began on her iconic looped-wire sculptures in 1947.
Through her nearly six decades of artistry, Asawa shaped San Francisco through her numerous public commissions, with “Andrea” being her first public sculpture. “Andrea,” modeled after a friend of Asawa’s, was installed in Ghirardelli Square in 1968; the piece was well received and is still on display.
Since Asawa’s passing in 2013, her legacy has lived on in San Francisco, where soon “Ruth Asawa: Untitled” will further her commitment to access to the arts for all.
