%C2%A9 Joshua Huyser
First Aid Kit #3, 2019
Joshua Huyserexpand_more
Watercolor on paperexpand_more
Gift of funds from the Paul and Sheila Steiner Charitable Trustexpand_more 2019.38.2
Not on Viewexpand_more
Joshua Huyser examines single, ordinary objects and paints them in watercolor with photographic precision, isolated on the white paper. These seemingly simple exercises in observation offer the viewer a new way of seeing the world—showing beauty hidden in the mundane, the overlooked, and the discarded, and revealing bits of splendor and mystery to those who look for it. A vintage metal military first aid kit from Soviet-era Hungary is the subject of First Aid Kit #3. Obsolete, dented, with the paint chipping off, it is nonetheless a beautiful mid-century object of a bygone era. In focusing the eye on this singular object, a world and moment are neatly encapsulated. The kit’s sleek design embodies the Sputnik era—it could almost be an astronaut’s briefcase, save for the red cross. With an array of gray washes, the artist stunningly captures its battered, shiny patina; the box looks modern yet antique, indestructible but unsanitary.
Details
- Title
- First Aid Kit #3
- Artist Life
- born 1974
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2019.38.2
- Provenance
- The artist, Minnesota; (Burnet Fine Art & Advisory, Wayzata, Minn.); sold to MIA, 2019.
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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© Joshua Huyser