Ruth Asawa and Her Family

The artist Ruth Asawa (1926–2013) gained acclaim in the 1950s for her wire sculptures. That decade coincided with the growth of her family. Between 1950 and 1959, Asawa and her spouse, Albert Lanier, had six children, four of whom appear here. Their abode in San Francisco served multiple purposes, as home, studio, and space for childcare. Asawa and the photographer Imogen Cunningham forged a long-lasting friendship. Both women believed that they did not have to choose between their art and their families. Work and family could not only coexist but inform one another, much like in this photograph.