“The Clock” and A Day That Stretched Out Like Laffy Taffy
Plus some very practical shopping recommendations
When I went to MoMA a couple weekends ago with a group of four friends, the initial impetus was Pirouette, the design show I mentioned in last week’s letter, but the thing that had the bigger lasting impact was “The Clock” by Christian Marclay (on view through May 10). Consisting of clips from decades of films and television episodes in which a clock or timepiece is seen, or time is otherwise mentioned, the “The Clock” is a 24 hour long film that accurately reflects the time at which the viewer is watching.
Three of us arrived at the MoMA at 11:00am and the other two in our group trickled in at around 11:30. We chatted, had coffee, then saw Pirouette. By the time we made it into “The Clock,” it was around 1:30/2:00. After standing together along the curtained walls watching time pass as a group, we adjourned around 2:30 or 3pm. By around 7:00pm we were all back together at an art opening that one of our group members, Marta, had work in. Naturally, Marta stayed behind at the show when the other four of us headed into an Escalade around 9:00pm to head to a different friend’s birthday party. By the time we split apart, it was past 2:00am.
Through these many, many hours together as a group, “The Clock” kept coming up. Our day felt like a piece of Laffy Taffy, stretched to the point of near translucence. How was it possible we had done so much in a day? How was it possible that this much time had passed? Even thinking about it now, it feels like the day had so much space in it that I should be able to walk into a portal back to 2:00pm, when we were standing in the dark staring at clocks and watches, chuckling when actors verbalized the time.
The only reference that came up more than “The Clock” that day was probably reference to our day itself felt. It was like a school field trip, it was like we were tourists in the city again. By the time I got in my Uber home it was hard to readjust to being alone with my thoughts again. Four out of the five of us reconvened a few days later and naturally “The Clock” came up again too.
Watching The Clock, I was reminded of other projects that recontextualized and arranged found materials. The Nature Book by Tom Comitta, for instance, which consists of nature descriptions pulled from 300 literary works. Reorganized, the lines transform them into something completely different—a reflection on climate change, maybe, or a reflection on nature without humanity. Or Sheila Heti’s Alphabetical Diaries which presents a decade worth of the writer’s diary entries in alphabetical order. I think part of what’s so enlivening about works like this is how much they invite you to bring your own interpretation.
On a more surface level, though, “The Clock” feels like an interesting archive of timepiece design. It’s not exactly news that the clock was knocked off its pedestal by the primacy of the smartphone many years ago. (Even the Apple Watch needs a million other features to make it worth the consumer’s while.) Watching “The Clock,” the physical form of clocks, and watches, and even the social connection of asking for the time takes on this nostalgic quality.
Now, I have a confession to make: for the past few months, I have been harboring a vendetta against a very specific clock. This specific clock is seen everywhere—in listicles, in gift guides, in TikToks, in print advertisements, in actual billboards that you can pass on the street. I’m not going to name the clock because if this extremely aggressive marketing campaign has guaranteed anything, it’s that one of you reading it probably owns it. But, in my view, it is exceedingly ugly. The ugliest clock on the market by a long shot.
It has come to be known as “the Vendetta Clock” in my social circle. I rail against the thing on my Close Friends Instagram story. Friends send me pictures and screenshots when they see it online and out in the world. Some friends have assumed that I have vendettas against other specific clocks, or clocks as a whole, because of my ire for this one specific clock. Some friends have come to me for counsel: I get that you hate the Vendetta Clock, but what clock am I supposed to buy, then?
The idea of distancing yourself from your phone or social media has been a talking point as long as social media has existed, by my estimation, but never have I heard more people talk about wanting to get away from their phones than in the past month. When we knock the smartphone off of its pedestal, or at least downgrade the amount of hours in our days that it can take up, we naturally need to bring back some of the products that we allowed the phone to replace. In the interest of ACTIONABLE ADVICE, I present to you a list of clocks that I think look both interesting and functional.
The Vendetta Clock is hard to read, expensive, and just ugly in my opinion, so here I’ve picked out some clocks that I judge to be none of those things. It’s a mix of alarm clocks and wall clocks, analog and digital. Maybe you’ll like these; maybe you’d prefer the mysterious Vendetta Clock. Pick what feels right for your space and needs.
(Please note I’m not using affiliate links at this time.)
A Flippable Alarm Clock ($40)
This alarm clock by Lexon reads “on” on one side and “off” on the reverse so you can easily set the alarm on and off by physically flipping it up or down.
Miffy Flip Clock ($59)
Miffy will not cease until she’s dethroned Snoopy! For those of us who want the bunny emblazoned on everything last thing we own, this flip clock is a good fit. That being said, it doesn’t have an alarm feature, so you could nab this analog Miffy alarm clock instead, if you prefer.
Clunky LCD clock ($59)
Just sick as hell looking. It tells you the time, date, moon phase, temperature, meaning of life, etc. A good option if you miss the clunkiness of old digital clocks but want something that has a more sophisticated array of information to dispense.
Braun travel alarm clock ($30)
Braun has a clock to suit pretty much anyone’s taste, but if I had to choose one it’d be this travel alarm clock. For anyone who struggles with travel and breaking up routine, this one’s easily packable at under 6 inches tall and wide. The red tone has a slight vintage vibe without leaning too hard into nostalgic kitsch imo. This is a good Braun analog option if you struggle with reading analog clocks but prefer them aesthetically—no judgment!
Bold numbered Casio alarm clock ($15)
I hate to recommend anyone shop from Los Angeles Apparel but I love the bold numbers on this Casio analog, and the other stockist options are Amazon or places where it’s double the cost. Rock—hard place.
SOWDEN Wall Clock ($95)
This is the clock I want for my own office. (When is the SOWDEN option not my first pick…) I think the two tone blue one with green lettering would look perfect in here specifically, but the purple and green one is objectively more scrumptious if it suits your color scheme.
I think when you’re trying to decide on a type of clock, and which room, you should think realistically about what space you spend the most time in when you’re specifically trying to stay away from your devices. During the workday, there’s no denying that my laptop and my office are inseparable, but it’s also the room that I sit in when I’m trying to write by hand or read without distraction. Because of that, it’s the space that makes the most sense for a wall clock for my specific needs.
Not even joking I saw that Miffy alarm clock 2 weeks ago at the mall and almost bought it.
This makes me want to put up a clock on my wall!