The Nelson Clock: Function vs Form

In 2011, the McNay Art Museum presented a unique retrospective entitled George Nelson: Architect, Writer, Designer, Teacher.  This exhibition showcased the work of one of the most creative minds of the 20^th century, but art (in the traditional sense) was not the central theme.  Instead of paintings, there were chairs and normal household items lauded for their modern design.  These modernized objects functioned in the exact same way as their traditionally designed counter-parts, but the form evolved to suite the changing tastes of modern society.  The minimalist concept, shapes, colors and textures were at the forefront for Nelson and are evident in his work. 

Vitra Design Museum Archive

My first impression of the exhibit was negative, however.  I went hoping to see something closer to the “art” mediums I’m comfortable with: painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing and the like.  After a while, I started to imagine how I would live differently if these objects surrounded me on a daily basis.  They are “fine” without being ornate and fabricated not handcrafted.  This hypothetical scenario made me crave a lifestyle surrounded by normal objects that were unique enough to be gallery-worthy and the exhibition was doing something more than just being stagnant and pretty…it was changing my mind about my stuff.  Do the objects in my house have artistic merit?  The MOMA in New York City has a floor dedicated to the design of everyday objects from the past.  Many of these objects were not expensive or unique during their heyday, but now are seen as bits of history and art.  I wondered which objects I currently own would be worthy of a display case.

In our conversation on the way home from the McNay, my wife and I agreed to disagree about the “object as art” scenario, but she humored me.  A few weeks after the exhibition, she decided to buy me a knock-off George Nelson Spindle Clock for my studio (a legit edition runs upwards to $600).  I put a battery in it, set the time, hung it on the wall and view it as a piece of sculpture.  Very rarely do I actually use it to tell time, but the gears are ticking away above me at this moment.  The lack of numbers hinders a quick translation of the time and the hands can get lost in the shapes of the clocks tendrils.  So, is this a clock or sculpture?  Both?

This isn’t a scientific assessment, but many people are currently unable to tell the time by a traditional big hand/little hand layout.  They forgo the internal math for the quick digital reading of time on their cellphones.  This is like owning chairs that are not meant to hold a human posterior or a kitchen plate that is never meant to hold food.  In many of these modern objects (not just by George Nelson) seem to be 80% form and 20% function.  Surprisingly, in my imagined, idealized home set-up, I’m okay with this.