Marilyn Chase, author of “Everything She Touched”

Episode notes

Journalist Marilyn Chase on her new book, Everything She Touched: The Life of Ruth Asawa

“Like drawing in space.” That’s how journalist Marilyn Chase describes Ruth Asawa’s signature wire sculptures. The massive, dangling sculptures are often installed hanging from a ceiling so that they float above the ground in elegant, symmetrical shapes. Some formed like hour glasses, others like lamp shades or flowers. Forms masterfully sculpted within forms, they’re ethereal and beautiful. Marilyn Chase’s new book, Everything She Touched: The Life of Ruth Asawa is a celebration of that work and Asawa’s life and enduring legacy.

Ruth was born in Norwalk, California in 1926. Her parents had immigrated from Japan and the family worked on a farm until US soldiers moved them to camps during World War II.

After graduating from high school in an internment camp, Ruth became an artist and eventually landed in San Francisco in the late 60s.

Ruth’s technique of weaving and looping wire into intricate sculpture was one she learned on a service trip to Mexico in her youth. She wielded that technique into beautifully intricate pieces that, today, can be found in the Guggenheim, the Whitney, and Golden Gate Park, in San Francisco.

In addition to sculpture, Ruth also made some of the most beloved and iconic public art in all of the Bay Area: sculptures like the Mermaid Fountain in Ghirardelli Square or the Japanese-American Internment Memorial in San Jose. She is also one of the founders of the San Francisco School of the Arts.

Marilyn joins Jesse to talk about Ruth’s early life and artistic influences, her unique experiences while in a Japanese-American internment camp during World War II, and her lasting artistic legacy.

Marilyn Chase’s book Everything She Touched: The Life of Ruth Asawa is on sale now.

Correction – Guest and author Marilyn Chase writes with the following corrections from her interview about Ruth Asawa:

1) Ruth completed three years (not two, as stated in the interview) at Milwaukee State Teachers College. The fourth year would have been spent doing her student teaching.

2) After Anni Albers told Ruth that she wouldn’t be able to teach her weaving in 6 week at Black Mountain College, Anni advised Ruth to take her husband Josef Albers’ design class.

3) Baker’s clay is made with flour, salt and water. There’s no sugar is in the recipe.

In this episode...

Jesse Thorn

Host

Kevin Ferguson

Senior Producer

Jesus Ambrosio

Producer

Richard Robey

Maximum Fun Producer

Daniel Huecias

Maximum Fun Production Fellow

Daniel Arón Speer

Video Editor

Guests

Marilyn Chase

About the show

Bullseye is a celebration of the best of arts and culture in public radio form. Host Jesse Thorn sifts the wheat from the chaff to bring you in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary minds in our culture.

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