Uploaded March 2022 | Updated September 2026, 19 minutes ago
Join us for a conversation with educator Addie Lanier about her mother Ruth Asawa’s 1954 sculpture Untitled in the Modern Art Galleries.
Renowned for her ethereal wire hangings that redefine the notion of sculpture as solid form, Asawa is considered one of California’s most important artists. During World War II, Asawa and her family were interned in a concentration camp because of their Japanese heritage. The one bright spot in this horror was the opportunity for Asawa to take art classes with other imprisoned Japanese Americans who had been animators for Disney Studios. Her later time in Mexico and studies with Joseph Albers and Buckminster Fuller at Black Mountain College inspired her stunning experiments with looping wire, which she transformed into poetic works of art. Lanier will discuss Asawa’s unique artistic language and life experiences that led her to redefine the notion of sculpture as "drawing in space."
This conversation observes the Los Angeles Day of Remembrance on February 19, which commemorates the wrongful incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.
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About LACMA
Located on the Pacific Rim, LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection of nearly 140,000 objects that illuminate 6,000 years of artistic expression across the globe. Committed to showcasing a multitude of art histories, LACMA exhibits and interprets works of art from new and unexpected points of view that are informed by the region’s rich cultural heritage and diverse population. LACMA’s spirit of experimentation is reflected in its work with artists, technologists, and thought leaders as well as in its regional, national, and global partnerships to share collections and programs, create pioneering initiatives, and engage new audiences.
Connect with LACMA
Subscribe for our latest videos: lacma.org/videos
Explore our collection online: collections.lacma.org
Plan your visit to LACMA: lacma.org/visit
Support the museum and become a member: lacma.org/support
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Join us for a conversation with educator Addie Lanier about her mother Ruth Asawa’s 1954 sculpture Untitled in the Modern Art Galleries.
Renowned for her ethereal wire hangings that redefine the notion of sculpture as solid form, Asawa is considered one of California’s most important artists. During World War II, Asawa and her family were interned in a concentration camp because of their Japanese heritage. The one bright spot in this horror was the opportunity for Asawa to take art classes with other imprisoned Japanese Americans who had been animators for Disney Studios. Her later time in Mexico and studies with Joseph Albers and Buckminster Fuller at Black Mountain College inspired her stunning experiments with looping wire, which she transformed into poetic works of art. Lanier will discuss Asawa’s unique artistic language and life experiences that led her to redefine the notion of sculpture as "drawing in space."
This conversation observes the Los Angeles Day of Remembrance on February 19, which commemorates the wrongful incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.
–
About LACMA
Located on the Pacific Rim, LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection of nearly 140,000 objects that illuminate 6,000 years of artistic expression across the globe. Committed to showcasing a multitude of art histories, LACMA exhibits and interprets works of art from new and unexpected points of view that are informed by the region’s rich cultural heritage and diverse population. LACMA’s spirit of experimentation is reflected in its work with artists, technologists, and thought leaders as well as in its regional, national, and global partnerships to share collections and programs, create pioneering initiatives, and engage new audiences.
Connect with LACMA
Subscribe for our latest videos: lacma.org/videos
Explore our collection online: collections.lacma.org
Plan your visit to LACMA: lacma.org/visit
Support the museum and become a member: lacma.org/support
Follow us on social
Facebook: facebook.com/LACMA
Twitter: twitter.com/lacma
Tumblr: lacma.tumblr.com
Pinterest: pinterest.com/lacma
Instagram: instagram.com/lacma
