Asthma Jar c. 1938

Curator: Richard Barnett's "Asthma Jar," created around 1938, is an object that seems to contain a whole world of personal history. Editor: It looks almost ancient, like something unearthed from an archeological dig. There’s a somber, earthy quality to it. I imagine it would feel heavy in the hand, even cold. Curator: That's interesting. I see a melancholy in its shape. The muted palette only intensifies the feeling. I find myself wondering who might have owned it and what comfort, if any, it provided. Editor: Exactly, and the form follows function in a really intriguing way. You see the artisanal qualities: the hand-worked aspect of pottery right in front of you. You can envision the process of production, turning, firing and glazing this vessel, not only the drawing techniques like charcoal and possibly oil pastel that help to illustrate it. Curator: I'm really drawn to the color. Those muted tones give such a soft feeling of something held closely and kept safe. Do you think that small detail, maybe a tube to inhale medicine, might tell us more about who it served? It makes me consider illness and its impact. Editor: Absolutely. Look closely at the production here; imagine the labour and access to these things that wasn't a guarantee back then! Who had the luxury to obtain a jar to inhale medication from in the 30s and why? It’s so fascinating to imagine how medical instruments also have stories to tell of those with ailments who might not always be seen as traditionally beautiful. Curator: True. In focusing on the material object, you highlight a story, not just of its making, but of its role in someone's life and healthcare. I find it surprisingly poetic. Editor: Yes, precisely. Considering art's function makes it all the more resonant! I am ready for my inhaler, maybe this narrative has caused some triggers… Curator: Then, in that case, I think we can say this piece holds far more than its humble material composition would suggest!