Swiss watchmaker Hublot has enlisted American contemporary artist Daniel Arsham as its latest ambassador. The appointment is an apt one, with Arsham having frequently explored the concept of time throughout his oeuvre, particularly through his Connecting Time series and his Hourglass sculptures.
To celebrate the unity of timepieces with the concept of time, Hublot and Daniel Arsham have presented a larger-than-life timepiece; a 20-metre sundial in the Schwarzee snowscape, a site backdropped by the Matterhorn peak. Titled ‘Light & Time’, the ephemeral installation fuses the roots of timekeeping with the craftsmanship in land art, with the functioning timekeeper based on the shadows cast by the quartz crystal-shaped obelisk. As the sun moves throughout the day, the shadow cast by the central pointer indicates the time in the raked show. The entire Light & Time sculpture is crafted from natural materials, with the elements of the Swiss Alps — namely, snow and ice — acting as functional artwork. The form of the sundial echoes Hublot’s design language, incorporating familiar cues such as the screws that hold the bezel in place.
Viewing the work in its entirety is only possible from the mountainside, necessitating a ride up Zermatt’s ski lifts to enjoy it.
“I’ve been watching Hublot and the projects it has supported in the contemporary art space with great interest for many years, and admired its audacious approach to watchmaking, design and craft,” said Daniel Arsham. “The Art of Fusion remains one of the smartest projects in watchmaking. I love how Hublot crafts ideas, influences and materials together to create unique, defining forms. It is of course a special moment joining the Hublot Family and I’m super curious to execute the Hublot x Daniel Arsham sundial project in Zermatt.
“Physically, the temporary installation will capture something of how fleeting time can feel, but it will also be lasting, creating a memory that transcends the passing of the seconds, minutes, hours and days in all those who make the journey up the mountain to see it.”
This isn’t the first time Zermat has set the scene for a Hublot timepiece. The Swiss watch manufacturer has dedicated four timepieces Zermatt, with the Hublot Boutique Zermatt taking pride of place in the mountain resort town, executed in the wood-panelled chalet-style architecture typical of the location.
Words by AR Staff
