The concept of time, at once a personal and universal concept that dictates the rhythm of human experience, has been variously represented and constructed through the centuries and across cultures.

Drawing largely from the AMAM’s collection, this exhibition explores diverse characterizations of time as a natural and unstoppable phenomenon; a mechanized, measurable concept to be tracked, saved, and encapsulated; and a malleable and sometimes mystical force that determines the very architecture of our cosmos and collective memory. From memento mori (reminders of death), cycles of seasons, and depictions of times of day, to historical commemorations and geological and astronomical conceptions of chronology, artistic representations of time address personal memory and experience as well as expansive conceptions of boundless time and space.

Time can also function as an integral component of art-making, featuring as both subject and medium. Often the time spent making a work is the focus of the work itself; or the ephemeral quality of the materials ensure the instability of the work. The pervasive and enduring topic of time in art highlights the challenge of concretizing its representation while simultaneously acknowledging its nebulous and fleeting nature.

Organized by Andaleeb Badiee Banta, Curator of European and American Art, and Juliet Vincente (OC 2016), Curatorial Assistant, with assistance provided by Laura Baudot, Associate Professor of English, and Alberto Zambenedetti, Visiting Assistant Professor of Cinema Studies.