Time is something we deal with every day, and something that everyone believes they understand. While we may think we do, it’s still a hard thing to express. So, as part of a series of exhibitions exploring the different functions of materials, Tokyo-based architect and designer Emmanuelle Moureaux created a colourful installation designed to visualize the passage of time.

Emmanuelle is known for creating multi-sensory installation art using bright colours as three-dimensional elements. Her latest project uses over 120,000 paper numbers, cut-out to create a floor-to-ceiling multihued installation.

The 120,000 paper numbers appear to float in a three-dimensional, grid-like structure composed of 100 layers. Each row of numbers denotes a time of day; gradually it changes colour from vibrant rainbow hues, to darker shades, representing the transition from day to night. Visitors to the museum are able to walk through the rows coloured paper numbers that range from 0 to 9. Each row of numbers denotes a time of day, from sunrise at 6:30 am to sunset at 7:49 pm.

“Through the tunnel, the sky is tinted with a beautiful gradation changing from pale to deep colours, flowing from time to time,” the museum explains. The sensory exhibition “makes one feel the subtle changes in [the] atmosphere through the whole body by traveling the colourful flow of time.” 

A rectangular tunnel runs through the middle of the installation. In it are benches for visitors to sit down and be immersed in the work. At the end of the tunnel is a chair titled Miss Blanche, designed by 20th century Japanese designer Shiro Kuramata.

The installation, called the Colour of Time, was on display at the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design in Toyama, Japan. And while the installation closed on January 8, Emmanuelle is planning to exhibit 100 Colours in different cities around the world. Keep an eye on her Facebook and Instagram pages for announcements.

For more on the concept of time, take a look at this levitating timepiece that counts days, weeks, even years.

Source: https://www.designboom.com/art/emmanuelle-moureaux-color-time-01-17-2018/