Real Time Sweepers Clock

The Real Time Sweepers Clock video installation (2009) by Maarten Baas, acquired for the Malva collections, has been installed to display the time to passersby on Päijänteenkatu. In this 12-hour-long piece, two men are seen sweeping trash. The piles of trash form the clock hands, which the men move with their brooms. The work also functions as a timepiece. It won the 2016 ArtPrize award.

In Baas’s Hide and Seek exhibition at Malva in 2022, the captivating Real Time series was on display. In this series, the everyday object of a clock is transformed into a stage for various performances. Each drawn or swept minute is unique and reflects the character of its performer. Every minute becomes more valuable and meaningful when the marking of time involves the “precious time” of different individuals. The works take a step away from mechanization and automation, as well as from the identical, mass-produced household objects.

The clocks in the series were originally presented at the Milan Design Week in 2009. Works from the Real Time series are also on display at locations such as Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam and Paddington Station in London, as well as in museum collections including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

About the artist

Dutch designer Maarten Baas (b. 1978) operates in the fascinating space between art and design. His expression is a unique blend of conceptual art, craftsmanship, installations, public space works, and performance. Baas is considered one of the most significant designers of his generation.

His works can be found in both private as well as public collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Rijkmuseum in Amsterdam.

Artwork on the map

On the facade of Malski, above the main entrance – Päijänteenkatu 9, Lahti
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