The Clock

"The Clock" is a remarkable work of art. It's a 24 hour film which is also a clock. It's made up of many short pieces of film from the entire history of that medium. In each excerpt, a clock, a watch or some other time-keeping device displays the time. That time is in sync with the actual time in whatever city "The Clock" is being shown in. It's currently at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art until June 2 at which time the museum will close for three years for an enormous remodel and addition.

The bureau chief watched over two hours of the film a week ago and was enthralled. True, at one time I was a little bored and at another time I was a little tired but that happens in all films. This is a film with no actual plot but with the over all theme of time passing and with many sub-themes that appear and disappear as the film ticks on. The artist, Christian Marclay, and his unknown collaborators have performed an unbelievable feat of research and editing. The sound is very skillfully cut so that the rapid transitions between the short pieces never seem jarring. The film will be leaving San Francisco shortly and I encourage Bay Area residents to see it while they can but it will undoubtedly continue its world tour and I urge readers to try to see it if it appears in a venue anywhere near you.

Spring Light

The evening light in San Francisco can be intense and beautiful this time of year. (Please click.)

More.

The northern horizon.

The sunset.

The night.

More Dogpatch

The  houses of Dogpatch are to the west of Third Street. To the east of Third Street is the waterfront. In the next decade it will be transformed by new housing. Today, part of it, like these cranes, is derelict. (Please click.)

They've become canvases for graffiti artists.

But part of it still functions. Like the crane on this dry dock.

Or these cranes.

Sometimes the derelict and the functioning are combined like this beached houseboat with the dry dock in the background.