
Here are 14 of the most famous, provocative beautiful works of art with clocks, watches and other timepieces in the world. If you’re equally curious about all of these timely matters, dear reader, come along. What happens when an artist takes a classic clock face and morphs it in some way? Does it enable us to see more clearly? Or just annoy or confuse us? a call for critical thinkingįinally, a work of art with a clock or a watch can provoke into seeing the world with a fresh perspective. Synchronicity between two or more clocks can represent passionate souls in perfect rhythm – or even a universal condition uniting all nations across barriers of language and culture.

It might not be the first word that comes to mind when the word “clock” is mentioned, but some artists have deployed them as objects symbolizing love. Some works about clocks and timepieces remind us of the oppressive tyranny of the clock at work and in our leisure time, and the toll that rigid timekeeping can take on the human spirit. For example, if a clock or a watch tells us one thing, but we know that actual reality is something else, are we comfortable challenging it. a way to question authorityĪ provocative work involving a clock can also be subversive, reminding us that the systems we invent to make sense of our lives and the world are not infallible. The most obvious is a sincere comment about mortality, the potential preciousness of each moment, and the value of living in the moment. Within a clock, there are many potential stories and truths. what uses have artists had for clocks and timepieces?Īll of this discussion about fashion and time got us to thinking: what are the most famous clocks in the world of the visual arts? What can art show us about keeping time and how that process affects our spirit? If we’re all going to make the pilgrimage to the high temple of art to meditate on the meaning of time, we need to do our homework first.

We’re sure it won’t be just about clock prints on an overcoat. Presumably this show will twist our conceptions of time, adornment, beauty and structure. The museum notes that “About Time: Fashion and Duration” is inspired in part by the novels of Virginia Woolf, including “The Hours.” Historic clocks will greet visitors, and will loudly tick the minutes away as they peruse the show. The 2020 Costume Institute show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City will have as its theme the concept of time.
