The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is set to host "Ruth Asawa: Retrospective," the first major posthumous exhibition of the artist's work, from April 5 to September 2, 2025. This comprehensive showcase features over 300 pieces spanning six decades, including her signature looped-wire sculptures, drawings, paintings, and design objects. The exhibition also highlights Asawa's contributions as an educator and civic leader in San Francisco. Following its debut at SFMOMA, the retrospective will travel to The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain, and the Fondation Beyeler in Switzerland.

Ruth Asawa (1926–2013) was an American artist renowned for her innovative wire sculptures that challenge conventional notions of material and form through their emphasis on lightness and transparency. Born in rural California, Asawa's artistic journey began under challenging circumstances. During World War II, she and her family were among the Japanese Americans interned at camps, where she first studied under professional artists. After her release, she attended Milwaukee State Teachers College but faced discrimination that prevented her from completing her degree. In 1946, she enrolled at Black Mountain College in North Carolina, a pivotal period that shaped her artistic development. There, she met architectural student Albert Lanier, whom she married in 1949. The couple settled in San Francisco, where Asawa continued to produce art over more than half a century, including numerous public commissions. She was a firm believer in the transformative power of arts education, co-founding the Alvarado School Arts Workshop in 1968 and playing a key role in establishing San Francisco's first public arts high school in 1982, later renamed the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts in her honor.

The retrospective at SFMOMA offers an in-depth look at Asawa's expansive output and its inspirations. Visitors can expect to see her signature looped-wire sculptures alongside lesser-known works, including sculptural "miniatures," some measuring just over one inch in diameter, vibrant drawings, paintings, clay masks, and cast bronze sculptures. A gallery evoking the living room of Asawa's longtime Noe Valley home features her hand-carved redwood doors, sketchbooks, art by friends, and a rich array of sculptures that once adorned her ceiling. Archival materials showcase Asawa's public commissions and dedication to arts education. An oral history recording booth invites visitors to share and discover community connections to the artist and her work.

The exhibition is co-curated by Janet Bishop, Thomas Weisel Family Chief Curator and Curator of Painting and Sculpture at SFMOMA, and Cara Manes, Associate Curator, Department of Painting and Sculpture at MoMA.

Asawa's work and advocacy have had a profound impact on the San Francisco community and beyond. Her belief in the importance of arts education led to the creation of programs that integrated professional artists into public schools, fostering creativity and self-sufficiency among students. The Alvarado School Arts Workshop, which she co-founded, expanded to 50 public schools in San Francisco, employing artists, musicians, and gardeners, and involving thousands of parents in public education. Asawa's efforts underscore the role of art in community building and education, emphasizing that artistic engagement can lead to broader awareness and improved problem-solving skills in various occupations.

In March 2025, SFMOMA announced a $1.5 million grant from Google.org, Google's philanthropic arm, in support of the Ruth Asawa retrospective. This grant, the largest corporate grant for a single exhibition in SFMOMA's history, aims to support community-building and audience initiatives around the exhibition, as well as bolster the revitalization of downtown San Francisco as a thriving cultural destination.

After its debut at SFMOMA, the exhibition will travel to The Museum of Modern Art in New York (October 19, 2025–February 7, 2026), the Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain (March 20–September 13, 2026), and the Fondation Beyeler in Switzerland (October 18, 2026–January 24, 2027). The tour coincides with what would have been Asawa's 100th birthday on January 24, 2026, celebrating her enduring legacy and global impact.

"Ruth Asawa: Retrospective" serves as a testament to the artist's innovative spirit and her unwavering commitment to arts education and community engagement. Through this exhibition, audiences worldwide have the opportunity to experience the depth and breadth of Asawa's work and to reflect on her significant contributions to the art world and society at large.