The Clock
Tate Modern 14 SEPTEMBER 2018 – 20 JANUARY 2019
Free
24-hour film The Clock is made up of thousands of clips from films and television that either depict or reference time. The clips which viewers see on screen are true to real time, making this not only an artistic masterpiece and thrilling piece of entertainment, but also an original and inventive way of telling the time. Instead of the escapism we get from a movie, we are kept in the present moment, going through the motions of typical activities occurring at certain times, as well as a fair few surprises along the way.
Created over three years, Marclay claimed that the most fun part of the process was editing: trying to find ways all these fragments and different moments could be put together into a consistent whole - where someone can exit a door in one world and glide effortlessly into another. As Marclay put it “These editing tricks are used to create this sense of continuity, this flow, and this make-believe.” Whilst one may think that the work can’t be truly captivating, due to the constant shift and change in content, it is in fact true of the opposite. Because you are constantly being introduced to new material, none of which needs to hold your attention for too long, you genuinely feel as if you could stay forever…
We went to see The Clock early one Saturday evening. There was a queue when we got there but I wouldn’t say we waited much longer than 10 minutes. Upon entering, you are greeted with a massive screen and around 40 sofas, each able to seat three people. We started on the floor but were able to nab a sofa spot less than 5 minutes in, as the sheer amount of people means that the turnaround is pretty quick. How long you stay watching the film is purely down to you, we stayed for just under an hour (from around 17:45 to 18:40).
I imagine some people go for the long haul, however, with no re-entry it must be pretty problematic when there’s a big queue outside and you need a wee or fancy a snack (there’s no toilets or eating in the movie theatre). There was, however, a 24-hour screening from 13th-14th September, for members only, and three further dates (6 October, 3 November & 1 December) for those die-hard art and movie fans. Overall, The Clock is definitely worth a watch (hehe) and will most certainly not be a waste of time (sorry).
OVERALL RATING: ****
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/christian-marclay-clock
