Though distorted, his corner clock
does have a recognizable clock face.
Most clocks are meant to be easily seen and the time easily read. Tim Hawkinson seems to have imagined a world where timepieces are forbidden, and the very act of telling time is subversive. In this world, clocks must be available, yet hidden inside ordinary consumer objects.
He calls this series of working clocks with hidden motors "Secret Sync."
After looking at these, my mind began to find all sorts of places and invent all sorts of ways to hide clocks.
A manilla envelope clock tells time
with a rotating metal clasp.
This Coke can’s pull tab rotates for the minutes,
while the entire top (with the hole)
rotates for the hour.
The twist tie tells the time
on this bag of packing peanuts.
This measuring tape clock measure time,
not distance.
The toothpaste clock – the toothpaste
coming from the hole rotates for minutes,
and the cap rotates for the hours.
Look for subtle wisps of hair
attached to a bristle –
they tell the time
on this hairbrush clock.
– Tim Hawkinson images from Ace Gallery>>
– Lmp76, Tim Hawkinson: The Mechanical/Scientific Approach to Hybrid Art>>