A Line Can Go Anywhere

This picture book biography details the life of influential Japanese-American sculptor Aiko Ruth Asawa, from her childhood on a Southern California farm to her incarceration during World War II and her rise as a prominent artist. Raised in contrasting cultural identities as Aiko and Ruth, her life was further complicated when her family was sent to incarceration camps after the Pearl Harbor attack. In these camps, Ruth took inspiration from her surroundings, such as the horsehair lines in the stable stalls and the barbed wire fences, elements that would later influence her celebrated sculptures. The biography traces how these experiences shaped her unique artistic vision, leading to a career filled with enchanting, intertwined sculptures that made significant contributions to the art world.