Ruth Asawa
“I'm not so interested in the expression of something, but I'm more interested in what the material can do. And so that's why I keep exploring.” - Ruth Asawa
—
Ruth Asawa was born in southern California in 1926 to two Japanese immigrants. Growing up in the Asawa family was difficult, having little resources to maintain a dilapidated farm in what eventually became Los Angeles. Asawa’s interest in art started at a young age, participating in art shows and competitions during her teenage years. In 1942, when the United States declared war against Japan, the Asawa family was sent to an internment camp in Arkansas. At the internment camps, Asawa continued her studies with artists and designers from Walt Disney Studios. After graduating from high school in her internment camp, she went to college, intending to be an art teacher, but job prospects were difficult. Eventually Asawa attended Black Mountain College, an experimental college centered around the arts. It is there she began experimenting and developing her artistic identity.
One of Asawa’s most notable artistic forms is the wire sculpture. Characterized by creating latticed patterns formed by wire, these sculptures are often seen hanging from the ceiling, suspended in space. As she puts it, “I was interested in it because of the economy of a line, making something in space, enclosing it without blocking it out. It’s still transparent. I realized that if I was going to make these forms, which interlock and interweave, it can only be done with a line because a line can go anywhere.” It is the simplicity of the line which represents an important characteristic of her artistry. She was also known for her cast-form sculptures, transforming ordinary pieces of metal into art which preserves the uniqueness of the materials themselves.
In addition to her notable artistic style, Asawa was a big advocate for the arts. She argued for the importance of arts in children’s education, not only pushing for art classes to be taught at schools but also having visiting artists be part of the learning experience. Believing that dedicated school teachers could not provide as immersive of an art experience as professionals, Asawa pushed for artists to get involved in schools. Her activism and fervent support for arts education had prominent influence particularly in San Francisco. She, along with others, built the San Francisco School of the Arts, which in 2010 was renamed to Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts.
—
Sources and additional materials: