Installation view of Ruth Asawa Through Line. Photo: Paul Hester
Ruth Asawa, “Untitled (ZP.16B,” Twelve Looped – Wire Sculptural Forms), ca. mid – to – late 1950s.
Screentone on board, 10 × 24 in. Private collection. © 2024 Ruth Asawa Lanier, Inc./Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Courtesy David Zwirner. Photo: James Paonessa
Ruth Asawa: Through Line at the Menil Drawing Institute, March 22 – July 21, 2024
Though she is widely acclaimed for her sculptural achievements, Ruth Asawa’s drawing practice takes center stage in this exhibition, revealing the depth of her creative vision and the profound significance she attributed to the act of mark making. Asawa approached her practice as both an act of visual description and of modeling the abstract, using it as a means to interrogate the world around her and push the boundaries of artistic possibility.
The exhibition features a diverse array of works, including drawings, collages, watercolors, and sketchbooks, alongside stamped prints, paperfolds, and copper-foil pieces. Many of these works, drawn from public and private collections, are presented to the public for the first time, offering viewers a rare opportunity to witness Asawa’s artistic evolution firsthand.
Organized thematically, the exhibition begins with foundational lessons from Asawa’s time at Black Mountain College, where she honed her craft and developed her distinct visual language. Subsequent sections delve into the function of repetition and the development of specific motifs and approaches, such as the Greek meander and structural patterns in folded paper.
Throughout the exhibition, Asawa’s meticulous attention to materials, line, surface, and space is evident, inviting viewers to contemplate the intricate interplay between form and concept in her work. Of particular note are the selected pages from Asawa’s notebooks, offering invaluable insight into her creative process and the genesis of her larger, finished pieces.
As viewers navigate Through Line, they are treated to a comprehensive survey of Asawa’s output, including references to those close to her, experiments with line, and innovative approaches to depiction. The exhibition serves as a testament to Asawa’s enduring legacy and her profound impact on the art world, which is only now explored to a greater extent in this exhibition.
Accompanied by a scholarly catalog co-published by the Menil Collection and the Whitney Museum of American Art (the show’s co-organizer), Ruth Asawa: Through Line offers a richly illustrated exploration of one of the 20th century’s most influential artists, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the beauty and complexity of Asawa’s artistic vision.
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Eli Ruhala, “He’s Drawing Me,” 2024, Sumi color on paper, 30 x 45 inches
Installation view of “Eli Ruhala: Queer Narcissus” at Arts Fort Worth
Eli Ruhala: A Queer Narcissus at Arts Fort Worth, June 28 – July 20, 2024
Eli Ruhala’s A Queer Narcissus, on display at Arts Fort Worth, is an exploration of identity, intimacy, and the ephemeral nature of relationships. Drawing on Hermann Hesse’s novel Narcissus and Goldmund, Ruhala’s watercolor drawings abstract compositions from snapshots taken by a lover over the past three years. These images go beyond simple recording, acting as reflections on the complexities of love and the profound impact of mutual gazes.
Installed alongside thin wooden moulding trim on the gallery’s walls that creates outlines of domestic accoutrement — such as a couch, a side table, an easel, and a desk chair — Ruhala’s work positions the viewer as someone witnessing a life unfold. This skeletal structure surrounding the artwork helps to emphasize the narrative of personal and shared experiences. It mirrors the process of growth and transformation, aligning with the blank slate of the gallery wall as a conduit for the experiences the body undergoes.
The use of Gansai watercolor — a time-sensitive medium — adds to the vulnerability and transient nature of the queer gaze Ruhala captures. Each piece offers a reflection on the dualities of human connection, resonating with the split between Apollonian and Dionysian tendencies explored by Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche described these as representing two opposing forces in art and life: the Apollonian, characterized by order and rationality, and the Dionysian, characterized by chaos and emotion. Ruhala’s work embodies these dualities, merging structured compositions with the fluidity and spontaneity of watercolor.
In addition to the visual elements, some works include intimate notes written on translucent paper, further contextualizing the relationship between Ruhala and an intimate partner shown in this body of work. These notes offer a glimpse into the personal narratives and shared moments between the artist and their lover, enriching the viewer’s understanding of the relationship portrayed.
The exhibition raises questions about the differences between queer and straight relationships, suggesting that the former may navigate unique dynamics of visibility, affection, and societal perception. The idea of self-portraiture as a projection rather than a direct representation is central to Ruhala’s work, with each piece acting as an avatar through which personal stories unfold.
Overall, A Queer Narcissus is a deeply moving exhibition that invites viewers to stand inside the convergence of personal and shared experiences, where each stroke and hue narrates a story of love, growth, and the ever-evolving network of human connection. Through the lens of self-portraiture and inspired by themes from Narcissus and Goldmund, Ruhala’s work explores the intersections of chaos and order in romantic affiliations, and the gray areas of contemporaneity, making it a must-see for anyone interested in the nuances of human relationships.
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William Sarradet is the Assistant Editor for Glasstire.
