PERCEPTION OF TIME​
Peter Paul Rubens

Triumph of Truth

Time Unveils the Truth

painting

1621-25

oil on canvas

394 x 160 cm

Musée du Louvre

Italian and other European Art (Scala Archives)

Image and original data provided by SCALA, Florence/ART RESOURCE, N.Y.

Philippe de Champaigne

Still-Life with a Skull

1671

Oil on panel

28 x 37 cm

Musée de Tessé, Le Mans

What are the many relationships between space and time? Geometry offers us three possibilities:  the straight line, the circle, and the point. The straight line implies a beginning and an end, whereas the circle invites us to explore a richer vision which, offers the possibility of rebirth. A point in time – whether it be on a straight line, a circle, or Cartesian coordinates on a graph – underscores a message of seizing the moment. We will examine the myriad of ways that artists have tried to convey time, from Renaissance architecture’s efforts to represent infinity in a finite space to TK. On the horizon, a rising sun is frequently indistinguishable from a setting sun.

In a world where we are becoming increasingly aware of the ravages of a linear economy and the need for a circular and resilient economy, exploring how we depict time allows us to ask broader questions about transformation and recycling, whether for an object, a process, or an organization. Talking about time invites us to carefully recognize and identify our moment of opportunity. How to become the master of time in a constantly evolving world ?

What are the many relationships between space and time? Geometry offers us three possibilities:  the straight line, the circle, and the point. The straight line implies a beginning and an end, whereas the circle invites us to explore a richer vision which, offers the possibility of rebirth. A point in time – whether it be on a straight line, a circle, or Cartesian coordinates on a graph – underscores a message of seizing the moment. We will examine the myriad of ways that artists have tried to convey time, from Renaissance architecture’s efforts to represent infinity in a finite space to TK. On the horizon, a rising sun is frequently indistinguishable from a setting sun.

In a world where we are becoming increasingly aware of the ravages of a linear economy and the need for a circular and resilient economy, exploring how we depict time allows us to ask broader questions about transformation and recycling, whether for an object, a process, or an organization. Talking about time invites us to carefully recognize and identify our moment of opportunity. How to become the master of time in a constantly evolving world ?