Clock 1795 - 1805

Editor: Here we have "Clock", dating from somewhere between 1795 and 1805. It’s currently residing at the Met. Quite the contraption of bronze, brass and gold! It definitely has this 'over the top' decadent feel, don't you think? How would you interpret such a flamboyant object? Curator: Ah, flamboyant, indeed! But let’s consider it as a material poem. Gold whispers of wealth, doesn't it? The dark bronze figures are evocative of exotic lands, full of rich textures and intricate detail, they are both captivating and, dare I say, somewhat problematic through today's lens. The clock becomes this theater of time, of empire, of desire. Editor: Problematic how? Is it a colonial thing? Curator: Exactly! It's difficult to divorce this from its context. This clock, you see, presents an exotic "other," possibly alluding to African archers – representations, remember, viewed through a Western, Neoclassical lens. These pieces weren’t merely timekeepers; they were statements about power and global reach. They would say "look how enlightened we are!" while solidifying those very outdated points of view.. quite grim! Editor: So, it’s more than just telling time; it's telling a story – a very specific story from a certain perspective. Curator: Precisely. And who gets to tell that story, or profit from its telling? We are tasked to tell our perspective with responsibility to all involved in it, including those silenced by time or other events. And perhaps more importantly, what is its value today? How does a thing like this speak to us in 2024? Editor: That is… a lot to think about, but gives us a whole new way to frame our conversations on these kinds of art pieces. It’s almost haunting to look at with this historical weight. Curator: It’s a spectral object now, haunted by narratives both told and untold. Hopefully it also sets off alarm bells about beauty and consumption! It’s about seeing *and* questioning, my friend.