Time is one of the most mysterious and universal categories that has occupied the minds of philosophers and artists since ancient times. How to understand what time is? How does it affect our life and consciousness? How can it be depicted on canvas? These and other questions face those who want to create a work of art dedicated to time.

A moment in motion: Artistic interpretations of the passage of time

 

The question of what time is may seem elementary. We are constantly faced with time. We focus on the clock, plan the course of the day, are always late and often miss something. There is always enough time until it runs out. The very concept of “time” is so multifaceted that sometimes we are at a loss as to how best to explain it.

In physics, time is an indefinable quantity that measures the duration of the existence of objects. Philosophy defines time as a basic property, the next change of an object from the past, through the present to the future. Aristotle described time as a measure of movement and considered it a comprehensive factor that goes far beyond the local.

"Similar definitions are found later in Descartes, although he analyzed time in the context of the creation of rational philosophy, and did not strive to create a generally accepted term."

In mythology, the attitude towards time is more poetic. In Ancient Greece, we see the personification of time in the image of Chronos, who personified linear time, and in the slightly less well-known god Aeon, who was closely associated with the concept of eternity. The Roman “analogue” of Aeon is the goddess Eternitas, whose profile was often depicted on copper coins. In medieval philosophy, the term “eternitas” - “without beginning or end” - came from the name of this goddess.

Art has always been and will be a unique type of perception and reconstruction of reality. The artists played with form and presentation, looking for their own way of understanding fundamental things. That is why it is so important for us to turn to artists when we are looking for an answer to the question, what is time?

Contemporary art in form and content often contrasts strongly with works on a similar theme by artists of the past. The works of the masters, which will be discussed below, are incredibly different from each other, but they are united by one theme - time.

A Dance with Time: An Exploration of the Life and Art of Tehching Hsieh

One Year Performance (Time Clock Piece), 1980–1981

 

Tehchin Hsieh is a Taiwanese artist whose performances have always been lengthy and labor-intensive. For the work One Year Performance (Time Clock Piece), he locked himself in a room from April 11, 1980 to April 11, 1981, from where he did not leave until the end of the action. In his room there was a clock that he struck every hour , while photographing himself. A year later, he created a six-minute film from these photographs. Before the performance began, Xie shaved his head. In this way, the artist wanted to convey the passage of time: hair grows from photograph to photograph.

The desire to engage in art lived in Xie from early childhood, but Taiwan in the second half of the 20th century. was not the best space for realizing creative potential. The artist moved to New York, where he lived illegally for six years and worked as a cleaner in restaurants. His life then came down to a routine alternation: home-work-home-work. We see this routine in his work. But these works are not autobiographical. This is how the artist embodies his understanding of life and the role that time plays in it.

A year is a designation for one cycle of the Earth’s revolution around the Sun, a counter of human life, a unit of this very life. Xie follows the flow of time, studies it from the inside and accepts it. For Tehchin Xie, time is neutral. It is the foundation on which art stands. And art is life itself.

Tomorrow, Today, Eternity: Exploring Time in Art On Kawara

 

 

Conceptual artist of Japanese origin On Kawara devoted himself entirely to the theme of time, reflecting on his today and illusory tomorrow. In 1966, after moving to New York, he created a series of works called “Today”, which to this day is his “calling card”. Kawara created simple two-color acrylic paintings to capture each day he woke up, with the date, language, and format of where they were painted. The series consists of more than 3,000 paintings, which were created from January 4, 1966 until his death in 2014.

Other series of works include a series of postcards, “I Went and I Met,” sent to his friends, detailing aspects of his life. Also in his work you can find a series of telegrams sent to various people with the message “I Am Still Alive”.

In the Today series, Kawara interprets each day as a separate, independent part within the larger context of the orderly passage of time. In both the Today episode and other episodes, he treats the calendar as a human construct.

The artist believes that the assessment of time is shaped by cultural context and personal experience. The basis of his work is the study of the banality of existence and the prosaic nature of time. For him, the main thing was the current moment, it was important now, today to create, capture the moment, date and place. In his mind, tomorrow is the day when he will not create anything, and this will mean that time is up.

Love in a Moment: Art and Philosophy in the Works of Felix González-Torres

 

Untitled (Perfect Lovers), between 1987–1990 and 1991

 

American artist of Cuban origin Felix Gonzales-Torres created his minimalist sculptures using industrial materials: strings, watches, piles of papers, candy, light bulbs. He did not pursue form, because the idea was at the center of his work. Gonzales creates installations that are open to direct communication with the viewer. The artist often worked with the theme of relationships between people. The installation “Untitled” (“Ideal Lovers”, 1987–1990) is one of the most famous. Consists of two synchronized clocks that go in unison, but at some point the synchronization gets lost. Gonzales created this work after learning that his partner had AIDS. Then Torres felt how unexpectedly the passage of time could be interrupted.

Time has always scared Torres, as he talks about in one of his interviews. The work “Untitled” (“Ideal Lovers”) was one of the most terrible for him. Torres wanted to meet her face to face, to see that clock ticking in unison for only a short period of time. For him, they became a symbol, harbingers of imminent resynchronization, and with it death.

The theme of time and the theme of death have always gone hand in hand. The expression Memento mori (“Remember death”) originated in antiquity and became popular during the Middle Ages. Every artist depicts life as he would like to see it. And each depicts time - a bridge between birth and death, a segment whose forms will always be varied. It is not necessary to know thousands and hundreds of interpretations of the word “time”, the main thing is to understand in time how to manage it before it becomes the last grain of sand in the hourglass.

Time in colors: Artistic reflection of the dynamics of time

 

In the visual arts, the new concept of time is echoed in a number of distinctive techniques of storytelling and composition. In the view of the medieval artist, space and time are not differentiated: space is understood through time as a kind of one-dimensional flow. Hence the radical difference between medieval principles of composition in painting and ancient, classical ones. Instead of the centric, balanced scheme of ancient art, medieval composition usually unfolds in one direction - from left to right or vice versa, like the alternation of writing. The basic principle of storytelling in medieval art is the comparison of not one, but several events on the same image plane. The viewer, together with the main character, seems to move from one stage of events to another. The medieval master depicts not a concentrated moment of an event, as a Renaissance artist would have done, but its temporal sequence. The same idea of becoming in time dominates in Gothic architecture (bundles of columns converging at the top of the vault, rising upward) and sculpture. The Gothic statue is full of continuous movement; this movement is inactive, it is accomplished without moving in space, but the entire body of the statue is saturated with an uncontrollable upward desire, as if tearing the statue off the ground.

The artistic theory of the Renaissance, returning to the ancient unity of action, demanded from fine art, first of all, a simultaneous coverage of the entire field of vision. Painting, as Leonardo believed, should convey all its content into the viewer’s perception in an instant. Striving for a new unity, Renaissance artists invented many techniques unfamiliar to medieval art. This includes, first of all, the central perspective - one of the most powerful means of concentrating impressions. The invention of central perspective is associated with unity of scale, consonance of proportions, and the conquest of the depth of space. Leonardo's "Last Supper" is a classic example of the simultaneous concept of the High Renaissance, connecting the unity of place with the unity of action. However, Leonardo's composition is devoid of the true dynamics of a fluid moment. Leonardo only summarizes separate, isolated actions, individual movements caused by a single cause - the words of Christ: “One of you will betray me.” For the artists of the High Renaissance, movement is nothing more than a change in fixed positions. Their paintings depict not so much the movements themselves as stops snatched from the flow of time, breaks between movements. The Renaissance man thought of movement as a transition from one stationary state to another.

 

In the second half of the 16th century, a new turning point occurred in the concepts of time and space. If the concept of time in Renaissance art can be called static, then the Baroque concept should be qualified as dynamic. Renaissance art theory was content to describe the various types of movement and define their functions. They are interested in the question of the causes of movements, about the force and energy underlying the movement. Along with this, Baroque art puts forward for the first time the problem of the pace of movement, the speed of time. Feelings of tempo and dynamics of a phenomenon or event can be inspired by the nature of the composition, the contrasts of light and shadow, the rapid reduction of space and the abundance of angles - the specifics of the perception of nature and its transformation. The content of the depicted events or phenomena, their character, and emotional tone may be no less important.

In all these directions, Baroque art, compared to the classical style, strives for greater dynamics, diversity and acceleration of tempo. There is, however, one more feature in the concept of time that fundamentally distinguishes the Baroque from the Renaissance. The point is that it is necessary to distinguish between two dimensions of time - sequence and simultaneity. People are used to thinking of time as moving in one direction, like a straight line stringing alternating events one after another. However, if this were really so, then a person would be unable to experience several objects of consciousness at the same time. But a person can simultaneously perceive visual and auditory impressions, is able to simultaneously talk about one and think about another, etc.

The same simultaneity of different things is inherent in objective time. All this means that time has not only extension, but also “volume,” or time unfolds in at least two dimensions. It is this awareness of the multidimensionality of time that distinguishes Baroque art from Renaissance art. Thus, in paintings of the High Renaissance we are always talking about only one event and about the complete uniformity of all the constituent elements of this event, and a baroque painting often depicts the simultaneity of several different events and experiences. Particularly striking examples are provided by the work of Tintoretto. He depicts a whole chain of events at the same time. If the medieval painter depicted events at different times in one painting, the Renaissance painter limited himself to one event, then Tintoretto strives to capture the simultaneity of different events in the painting. This technique is embodied in The Last Supper. “Instead of a long table parallel to the plane of the painting, the table is placed at an angle and the apostles sit around the table, some of them are hidden in the shadows, others have their backs turned to the viewer. Instead of individually characterized images that the viewer must study separately, there is a general and simultaneous influx of feelings that the viewer perceives as a whole.”

 

If the art of the Renaissance achieved synthesis, as if sacrificing time, then in modern times space is increasingly saturated with time, acquiring its swiftness and variability. With each new stage, the dynamization of space increases. For the philosophical thought of this time, “space” is a more accessible concept, possessing more objective properties, than “time”. Descartes understands space as a substance, and time only as a measure of things, as one of the conditions for knowing things, and Hobbes believes that time does not exist in things outside of us, but only in the thinking of our minds. On the other hand, Newton comes to the conclusion that space and time are objective in nature and do not depend on man and his consciousness.

Can colors be used to convey the concept of time on canvas?

 

Colors can be used to convey the concept of time on the canvas. Colors have different symbolic and emotional meanings that can be associated with different time periods, seasons, moods, eras, etc. For example, the color blue is traditionally considered a symbol of truth and piety, as well as the color of heaven and eternity. The color red can mean passion, life, blood, revolution, war, etc. The color yellow can be associated with the sun, light, joy, wisdom, etc.

Artists can use colors to create a certain effect on the viewer, such as contrast, harmony, dynamics, rhythm, drama, etc. Colors can also influence the perception of shape, space, volume and perspective. Colors can be pure or mixed, rich or pale, warm or cool, light or dark, etc. All of these color characteristics can help an artist convey his vision of time on canvas.

For example, in Claude Monet’s painting “Impression. Sunrise” (1872) we see how colors change depending on the light and time of day. In Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night" (1889), we see how colors create a dynamic and expressive image of the night sky. In Piet Mondrian's painting “Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow” (1930), we see how the colors form a geometric and abstract composition that reflects the idea of universal order and harmony.

As we can see, colors can be a powerful means of expressing and conveying the concept of time on canvas. Artists can experiment with colors to create their own unique and original works of art that will evoke different reactions and impressions in the viewer.

What other means of expression can be used to convey the concept of time on canvas?

 

• Line is one of the basic elements of fine art, which can serve to create shape, volume, movement, rhythm, direction, etc. Can be straight or curved, solid or broken, thin or thick, smooth or rough, etc. Can also convey the concept of time, for example, showing dynamics or statics, tension or relaxation, order or chaos, linearity or nonlinearity, etc. For example, in Paul Klee’s painting “Memory of a Garden” (1914) we see how lines create an abstract and symbolic composition in which different time layers are mixed: childhood, present, mythology, etc.
• Texture is a property of a surface that determines its appearance and feel. Can be real or visual, natural or artificial, smooth or rough, soft or hard, etc. Can also convey the concept of time, for example, showing aging or renewal, wear and tear or preservation, transformation or stability, etc. For example, in the painting “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci (1503-1519) we see how the texture creates a sfumato effect that gives the image depth, softness and mystery.
• Light is one of the most important factors in fine art, which determines color, tone, contrast, volume, space and mood. Can be natural or artificial, bright or dim, diffused or directional, warm or cold, etc. Can also convey the concept of time, for example, showing the time of day, season, era, atmosphere, emotion, etc. For example, in Edouard Manet's Luncheon on the Grass (1863), we see how light creates a realistic and impressionistic image that reflects modernity, freedom and the joy of life.
• Composition is a way of organizing elements on a canvas that determines balance, proportion, symmetry, asymmetry, center, perspective, etc. It can be classical or modern, harmonious or disharmonious, closed or open, static or dynamic, etc. Can also convey the concept of time, for example, showing hierarchy, equality, connection, discontinuity, sequence, parallelism, etc. For example, in Piet Mondrian's Broadway Boogie-Woogie (1942-1944), we see how the composition creates a geometric and abstract composition that reflects the rhythm, energy and modernity of city life.
• A symbol is a sign that has a specific meaning, which can be general or individual, explicit or hidden, logical or emotional, rational or irrational, etc. Can be verbal or non-verbal, natural or artificial, concrete or abstract, simple or complex, etc. Can also convey the concept of time, for example, showing meaning, value, idea, faith, myth, destiny, etc. For example, in Marcel Duchamp’s painting “The Bride Undressed by Her Grooms, Even” (1912-1923) we see how the symbol creates a conceptual and provocative composition that reflects criticism, doubt and rejection of traditional norms and values.
• Style is a characteristic way of expression that reflects individuality, era, school, direction, movement, etc. Can be realistic or non-realistic, classical or modern, academic or avant-garde, conservative or innovative, etc. Can also convey the concept of time, for example, showing influence, interaction, development, continuity, opposition, etc. For example, in Andy Warhol's painting “Marilyn Monroe” (1962) we see how the style creates a pop art and mass composition that reflects the cult, fashion and consumption of modern society.

As we can see, there are many means of expression that can help an artist convey the concept of time on canvas. Artists can choose and combine different media depending on their goals, ideas, feelings and inspiration. Their works of art can be not only visually appealing, but also conceptually profound, reflecting different aspects of time and its impact on people and the world.

Looking back, we see how inexhaustibly diverse aspects of time in the visual arts can be, how ideas of time continuously change in changing eras and styles. There are eras for which the problem of time is close and related, and there are others for which it is more alien. There are eras that are more gravitating toward the stability of space (classicism), and others that are more imbued with the dynamics of time (Baroque). But with all the variability of this evolution, some conclusions follow from it with sufficient clarity. First of all, there is no doubt that the representation of time is an integral element, the most important creative stimulus in the concept of a sculptor, painter and graphic artist, giving true life to their images. Today, a consistent evolution of the worldview is gradually emerging towards an ever closer merging of time and space, their inseparability at the point of the present. At the same time, in art there is always a doom to the eternal present, in it the gathering of the world and its holistic image takes place. Artistic time as an integral phenomenon, as the present, is experienced by the viewer only thanks to the depth of meanings inherent in the creation, but first captured and felt by the artist himself.