The Moment of a Minute

installation in Frost Plaza, Maryland Institute College of Art
​paving stones, one minute sand timers, 2019.

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​When we ask for "a moment of silence," how long do we pause? Rarely a full minute.

This installation invites participants to sit and pause for a full minute.  That moment that could be filled with silent thought, the sight and sounds of a passing freight train or students heading to class, or memories triggered by the action of flipping a sand timer or watching sand run through the glass.

The installation was designed to utilize the four stone benches on Frost Plaza outside the Station Building at the Maryland Institute College of Art.  It consists of twelve ‘tables’ constructed of paving blocks, each with a one minute sand timer placed ready to hand for a seated participant.

The sand timers objectively measure a minute for the participant - giving the participant the freedom to clear their mind.  The arrangement of ‘seats’ and ‘tables’ puts each participant in view of the others, making one viewer’s measured minute also a perceived minute for her and for others. An objective minute coincides with a subjective minute, making it both, yet neither.

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