Nominee: Drempelprijs Commercial Practices 2020
Eeuwig Ogenblik (Eternal Moment)
During my research, I tried to find an answer to the question: How to get a different experience on the established time? The motivation was a personal fear for the future, the pressure of time and a fear of failure that comes with a graduation project. All these fears resulted in a blockage and made me flee into all sorts of distracting activities, and procrastination.
I was confronted with my escapism because of the corona-crisis, which blocked my escape routes. I repented and felt how a couple of days of silence revitalized my mind. In philosophy, I found confirmation for my experience, being introduced into the principle of Kairos. A figure from Greek mythology symbolizing the right moment of opportunity and a dynamic form of time. Alongside this, I realised the fact that clock-time is something artificial.
Only when the clock stops, does real time come to life.
I lived a week without the clock-time to see the effects of established time on daily life. During this week, I experienced freedom, taking charge of my own routine. Time was more personal and worked with me, instead of against.
I wanted to translate this and try to make time sensible as well as visual. This resulted in performative installation and documenting video which are a metaphor for time. The installation was based on a quote of the American writer William Faulkner, “Only when the clock stops, does real time come to life.” This reflected exactly my experience of the week without time.
The video starts with a burning pendulum, representing clock time burning up. When the time stops, a whole new world opens. The columns in the background take over the leading role and start coming to life. Showing a world that is dynamic, unexpected and fun. Where the imagination can run free. In the end, the quiet returns, leaving with an open ending.
With my project, I hope to bring awareness to the effects clock-time has on our daily lives and showing an alternative that helps to escape from it when needed.
