MOONWORK
- A MOON CLOCK DEPICTING THE PHASES OF THE MOON. MADE IN COLLABORATION WITH RUNE BAKKENDORFF.
Moonwork is a tall, freestanding clock that illustrates the lunar phases throughout a lunar month of 29,5 days through the use of light.
The aim of the project is to focus on the rapid pace of modern life, and the stress we experience as a result. We hope that by following a different cycle than the 24 hours of the day cycle, people are reminded that we are part of something bigger, and that there are other rhythms to connect with. We believe that we must align our perception of time with the course of nature and the planets to a greater extent, thereby finding our way back to a more natural existence thus achieving a healthier and more sustainable relationship with time.
Gracefully, a shadow wanders across the white porcelain halfsphere; a real-time model, revealing the current stage of the lunar cycle.
The clock uses the lunar cycle to represent the passing of time. The piece is produced for the annual Danish event, The Cabinetmakers Autumn Exhibit 2021 with the theme” Time, Tact, and Tone” - a celebration of the event’s 40th anniversary.
With Moonwork we are investigating a new area of design and craftsmanship by virtue. An alliance where we are seeking to develop and produce unique, one-of-a-kind pieces in the landscape of independent horology and artisanry/designs for exhibition at galleries. Moonwork is thus the first clock in a series of horological art pieces.
Moonwork challenges our traditional perception of time by placing it in a different and larger context, as opposed to the stress and bustle of everyday life.
When looking at the Moon in the sky, the darker parts we see is what used to be magma oceans. In the cooling process the magma crystalizes and turns into black basalt stone. The base of Moonwork is made from Swedish Basalt, a tremendously hard stone due to the rich content of iron. The base is made through a combination of CNC milling and hand carving.
The inside of the piece hides a hand-hammered silver shell, which is mounted on the center gear, with a fixed light source in the middle. The clockwork rotates the silver shell around the light source, over a synodic period of 29.5 days, which is a complete lunar cycle, from New Moon to New Moon. The shadow projected from the silver shell onto to the Parian Porcelain dome thus symbolizes the moon phase.
The movement is a novel construction developed specifically for this piece. A month going pendulum movement fitted with a constant torque spring, stop works, and graham escapement show the lunar phases through projection with an accuracy of less than a minute per lunation. The pendulum suspension allows for beat adjustment while the clock is running. All mobiles run in ball bearings, and the verge runs in Nylatron bearings almost eliminating any need for lubrication. Most of the 337 parts are manufactured by Rune Bakkendorff in brass and stainless steel, with some parts in hardened steel, PMMA, and Nylatron.
The project is made in collaboration with Lin Rosenbeck, Raadvad Stenhuggeri and clockmaker Rune Bakkendorff.
Materials: Parian porcelain, black clay, brass, steel, black bassalt, silver
Measurements: h: 190cm w: 600cm d:330cm
See more about Rune Bakkendorff right here.
Photo: Jeppe Sørensen