San Francisco to Welcome First Permanent Gallery Dedicated to Ruth Asawa’s Enduring Legacy
SAN FRANCISCO — In a significant milestone for the city’s vibrant arts community, the family of pioneering sculptor Ruth Asawa will open the first permanent gallery space dedicated exclusively to her work this spring, coinciding with celebrations of the artist’s centennial.
The new 1,714-square-foot gallery, operated by Ruth Asawa Lanier Inc. (RAL Inc.), will occupy a prime location at the Minnesota Street Project in the Dogpatch neighborhood. It opens to the public on May 9, 2026, with the inaugural exhibition titled “Ruth Asawa: Untitled.” The show, curated by Asawa’s daughters Aiko Cuneo and Addie Lanier, will run through June 20 and feature the artist’s signature looped- and tied-wire sculptures alongside paperfolds, watercolors, cast works, and drawings.
“San Francisco was Asawa’s home for more than 60 years,” said Henry Weverka, Asawa’s grandson and president of RAL Inc. “Opening a permanent space here in her adopted hometown seems like a wonderful way to celebrate her centennial for many years to come.”
Born in 1926 in Norwalk, California, Asawa endured incarceration in Japanese American internment camps during World War II. She later studied at Black Mountain College under Josef Albers before settling in San Francisco in 1949. There, she transformed everyday wire into ethereal, biomorphic hanging sculptures that challenged traditional notions of sculpture, drawing, and form. Her innovative practice, combined with tireless advocacy for arts education and public art, left an indelible mark on the Bay Area and beyond. Asawa died in 2013 at age 87.
The gallery marks the first dedicated venue providing consistent public access to her extensive body of work, with plans for rotating exhibitions that will also highlight her community projects and lesser-known pieces. It fills a space previously occupied by Anglim/Trimble gallery.
“Ruth Asawa: Untitled” draws its name from the artist’s frequent decision to leave works unnamed, inviting viewers to engage directly with the organic, translucent forms that seem to float and breathe in space.
This development arrives on the heels of major retrospectives at SFMOMA and MoMA, underscoring renewed global appreciation for Asawa’s contributions to postwar American art. The permanent gallery ensures her trailblazing spirit—rooted in resilience, experimentation, and community—remains accessible in the city she helped shape.
Gallery hours will be 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, visit ruthasawa.com.
