Spatula c. 1939

John Swientochowski made this little watercolour, Spatula, at some point during his lifetime. It looks like he was carefully observing a humble kitchen tool, letting the brown-rustiness and the repeated circle-pattern take center stage. I like how the evenness of the watercolour wash gives a slightly detached feel. He’s saying: look at this thing, isn’t it something? I can imagine him, squinting at it, trying to get the perspective just right, deciding which details to include and which to leave out. It reminds me a bit of Morandi and his bottles; a meditation on everyday life. He takes a simple, utilitarian object and elevates it through the act of seeing and painting. This work shows how artists are always looking, noticing the beauty in the mundane, and transforming it into something meaningful. It makes you wonder what other overlooked objects held his attention.