Ruth Asawa, Katherine Bradford

Episode No. 563 of The Modern Art Notes Podcast features curator Aleesa Pitchamarn Alexander and artist Katherine Bradford.

Alexander is the curator of "The Faces of Ruth Asawa," a new permanent installation at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University featuring Asawa's Untitled (LC.012, Wall of Masks). Wall of Masks is made up of ceramic face masks Asawa made with the cooperation of friends and visitors. The masks once hung on the exterior of the Asawa family's home. The artwork was the first acquisition made by Stanford's Asian American Art Initiative, which Alexander founded with Stanford professor Marci Kwon, and which she co-leads.

"Faces" also includes three vessels by Asawa’s son Paul Lanier. Each was made with clay mixed with the ashes of Asawa, her husband Albert, and their late son, Adam. Upon Asawa’s death, by her request, Lanier threw these materials into a set of vessels, one for each surviving sibling.

The second segment is a re-air of painter Katherine Bradford's 2018 appearance on the program. This summer, the Portland (Me.) Museum of Art is presenting "Flying Woman: The Paintings of Katherine Bradford," the first solo museum survey of Bradford's career. It was curated by Jaime DeSimone and is on view through September 11. The segment was taped on the occasion of “FOCUS: Katherine Bradford” at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.