San Francisco artist Lilli Lanier, granddaughter of legendary Japanese-American sculptor Ruth Asawa, opened a striking new exhibition of origami portraits at Cafe Alma in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood on July 26, 2025. The show, which runs through September 1, 2025, features an impressive collection of portraits created entirely from thousands of hand-folded paper squares, including a tribute to her famous grandmother who currently has a retrospective running at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
The centerpiece of Lanier's exhibition is a remarkable portrait of Ruth Asawa (1926-2013), the renowned artist known for her intricate wire sculptures created in her Noe Valley home studio. This particular portrait, based on a photograph by groundbreaking Bay Area photographer Imogen Cunningham, required Lanier to fold over 10,000 pieces of origami in 20 different shades of color. The painstaking process reflects a deeply personal connection to her grandmother's artistic legacy.
"Grandma Ruth taught me the origami fold when I was a kid," Lanier recalled during the opening reception at the cafe located at 888 Innes Avenue. This early instruction from her grandmother has evolved into Lanier's distinctive artistic technique, transforming childhood lessons into sophisticated contemporary art.
The Asawa portrait represents just one of ten origami portraits displayed in the exhibition. Lanier's subjects include an eclectic mix of famous figures who reflect her personal values and commitment to community building. Among the notable portraits are basketball superstar Stephen Curry, iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Each subject was chosen for their ability to speak to Lanier's own principles and vision for positive social impact.
The artistic process behind each portrait presents unique challenges for Lanier, who must deconstruct complex photographic images into their most basic visual elements before reconstructing them through careful arrangements of colored paper shapes and lines. According to her online artist statement, "The end result is a design inspired by everyday life," reflecting her ability to find extraordinary beauty in simple materials and techniques.
Among her most ambitious works is "Origami la Virgen de Guadalupe," an incredibly detailed piece composed of 20,000 individual paper squares, all hand-cut and folded by the artist. This monumental work was completed this year alongside a unique black-and-white origami portrait of a young Ruth Asawa. Sharing her enthusiasm for the black-and-white piece in a January 2025 Instagram post, Lanier wrote, "I really enjoyed making this one."
The opening reception drew an engaged crowd of art enthusiasts and community members who spent considerable time examining the intricate details of Lanier's work. Visitors like Victor Young Sr. and his daughter Silvia Yuen were observed deep in conversation about the technical aspects of the Asawa portrait, which features 15,000 individual pieces and serves as the signature work of the entire exhibition.
The timing of Lanier's show creates a meaningful dialogue with her grandmother's current retrospective at SFMOMA, allowing viewers to experience both the original artistic vision of Ruth Asawa and its contemporary interpretation through her granddaughter's innovative medium. While Ruth Asawa revolutionized sculpture through her wire constructions, Lilli Lanier carries forward the family's artistic DNA through her own medium of folded paper, creating portraits that honor both traditional craft techniques and contemporary artistic expression.
The exhibition at Cafe Alma offers visitors an intimate setting to appreciate the meticulous craftsmanship required for each portrait. Every piece demonstrates Lanier's commitment to her craft and her ability to transform simple origami techniques into sophisticated artistic statements. The portraits collectively represent hundreds of hours of careful folding, cutting, and arranging, showcasing both technical skill and artistic vision.
Lanier's choice of subjects reveals her commitment to highlighting figures who have made significant contributions to their communities and society at large. By featuring athletes, artists, and civil rights leaders alongside her grandmother, she creates a visual conversation about legacy, inspiration, and the power of individual creativity to effect positive change.
The exhibition runs through September 1, 2025, at Cafe Alma in Bayview-Hunters Point, providing art lovers and the local community with an extended opportunity to experience these remarkable works firsthand. The show represents not only a personal tribute to a beloved grandmother but also a continuation of San Francisco's rich tradition of innovative contemporary art that challenges conventional boundaries between fine art and traditional craft techniques.
