Ruth Asawa's Milwaukee Connection and Early Copper Bowl Acquisition

The Milwaukee Art Museum has acquired a 1946 copper bowl by Ruth Asawa, highlighting her formative years in Wisconsin. Asawa, a Japanese American sculptor, studied at Milwaukee State Teachers College (now University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) from 1943 but faced discrimination that prevented her from completing her degree. She later attended Black Mountain College, where she developed her signature wire sculptures under instructors like Josef Albers. The bowl, created as a gift for supporters Helmut and Cecilie Sieverts, demonstrates her early exploration of form and material. It is now displayed in the museum's 20th- and 21st-Century Design Galleries, purchased with funds from the Demmer Charitable Trust.