Page 205 - ART GIANTS issue of World of Art (WOA) Contemporary Art Magazine

Ruth Asawa (second from left) with visitors to her exhibition "Ruth Asawa: A
Retrospective View," San Francisco Museum of Art (now SFMOMA), 1973. |
Laurence Cune. photo: Henrik Kam. Courtesy SFMOMA.

Adding richness to Asawa’s artistic narrative, the exhibition
will present select works by mentors and contemporaries
such as Josef Albers and Imogen Cunningham, underscoring
the creative dialogues that informed her practice.
Co-curated by Janet Bishop (SFMOMA), Thomas Weisel
Family Chief Curator; Cara Manes (MoMA), Associate
Curator; Marin Sarvé-Tarr (SFMOMA), Curatorial Associate;
Ruth Asawa: Retrospective (installation view, San Francisco Museum of
Modern Art, April 5–September 2, 2025); artwork: © 2025 Ruth Asawa Lanier, and Dominika Tylcz (MoMA), Curatorial Assistant, with
Inc., courtesy David Zwirner; backdrop photograph: © 2025 Rondal Partridge additional contributions from Alex Landry (MoMA), Curatorial
Archives; photo: Henrik Kam Assistant, Photography, the retrospective is a collaboration
between two leading institutions.
Ruth Asawa, Andrea (PC.002), 1966–68; Commissioned by developer William
M. Roth for the renovation of Ghirardelli Square. 900 North Point Street, San “We are honored to present Ruth Asawa: Retrospective in
Francisco © 2025 Ruth Asawa Lanier, Inc., courtesy David Zwirner; photo: Aiko partnership with MoMA and with the generous support of
Cuneo. Photo: Henrik Kam.Courtesy SFMOMA.
Google.org,” said Christopher Bedford, Helen and Charles
Schwab Director of SFMOMA. “This exhibition not only
celebrates Asawa’s artistic genius but also reinforces
her legacy as a champion of accessibility, inclusion, and
community-driven art.”
Fueled by an historic $1.5 million grant from Google.org,
SFMOMA’s largest corporate grant for a single exhibition,
the retrospective enables transformative community-
building initiatives, broadening access to Asawa’s work and
inspiring a new generation of artists, educators, and cultural
leaders.
As Ruth Asawa: Retrospective prepares to welcome
audiences this spring, it stands as both a tribute to Asawa’s
brilliance and a testament to the enduring power of artistic
engagement.

WORLD of ART 213