GENERATION /
THE ROOTS OF MAKING IN THE ASAWA-LANIER FAMILY
JANUARY 12 - MARCH 31, 2023
“Learn something. Apply it. Pass it on so it is not forgotten.” - Ruth Asawa
Ruth’s Table is pleased to present Generation: The Roots of Making in the Asawa-Lanier Family, a group exhibition that brings together four generations from a San Francisco family of makers. Inspired by our namesake, world-renowned artist Ruth Asawa, the exhibition serves as an opportunity to honor Asawa’s life-long commitment to community-based art education and activism in the arts.
The word generation can have several meanings. A generation is a group of people born and living at the same time. It can also mean creating or making. Timed to coincide with Asawa’s birthday month, Generation is a tribute and a testament that Asawa’s values live on through generations - in the Asawa-Lanier family, in communities and organizations, like Ruth’s Table - that share her unwavering belief that creative engagement is essential and can impact the lives of people of all ages.
The exhibition brings together works in wire and lithography by Ruth Asawa; paintings, drawings, and birthday envelopes by Albert Lanier; paintings and a clay platter by Paul Lanier; textile, collage, and painting by Aiko Lanier Cuneo; origami portraits, paintings, and paper construction by Lilli Lanier; and paintings by Lucia Ruth Soriano. All of these artists have worked with one another on public commissions, as teaching artists in schools, and collaborated on pieces in this show.
The work exhibited in Generation spans 57 years from 1965 to 2022. Motifs rooted in interwoven patterns of line, repetition, and dynamic interactions between geometric shapes, color, and forms, appear in all artists’ works creating inherent conversation and visual connections carried through varying media. Together, they form a story of four generations of a family that is joined not only in relationship, but by the curiosity and love of materials, color, and pattern.
Roots of Ruth’s Table
Established in 2009, Ruth’s Table is named after an actual table, constructed by Ruth Asawa’s husband architect Albert Lanier, at which Asawa created her own art and then donated to the organization, thus officially launching the start of the program. Generation: The Roots of Making in the Asawa-Lanier Family exhibition also pays homage to the roots of Ruth’s Table which was profoundly shaped by Asawa’s values and continues to use the power of art to build a more connected, resilient, and inclusive community.
Opening Reception
Thursday, January 12 | 6-8pm
In-gallery | Ruth’s Table
Exhibition Dates
January 12 - March 31, 2023
Exhibition Viewing Room →
Explore Generation online.
EXHIBITION PREVIEW
ARTISTs in the exhibition
Ruth Asawa
Albert Lanier
Aiko Lanier Cuneo
Lilli Lanier
Lucia Ruth Soriano
Paul Lanier
AUDIO DESCRIPTIONS
The exhibition includes visual descriptions of each artwork, available in written and audio formats. Audio descriptions are available via QR codes on the wall labels.
BRAILLE and large font
A comprehensive Braille guide with labels and audio description texts is available for Deaf/Blind and visually impaired visitors. Exhibition materials are also available in large print.
ASL interpretation
All exhibition-related events have American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, live captioning, and online components.
PRESS
ARTWORK IMAGE
Top Image: Aiko Lanier Cuneo, Dancing Dots and Triangles, 2021. Fuller O'Brien and ICI paint chips. 16” x 16”.
Image Below: Lilli Lanier, Origami Ruth Asawa, 2022. Origami paper. 50” x 40”.
EVENTS
Opening Night Celebration | In-Gallery
Thursday, January 12, 2023 | 6-8pm PST
In-person at Ruth’s Table