Timeless

Timeless by Maria Stereo (b. 1979, Rauma) is a large relief that takes its inspiration from the cuckoo clock. It is mounted on the wall of the courtyard at the Teollisuuskatu facility of the Helsinki Vocational College (Stadin ammatti- ja aikuisopisto).

There are no hands on the face of the decorative clock, and the cuckoo’s door remains closed. Just as the title suggests, the work is timeless: the clock face does not indicate the hour. Artist Maria Stereo says that timelessness gives viewers a chance to relax. You don’t always have to know what the time it is.

“I’ve always been fascinated by domestic kitsch objects and decorations. When I began to explore online images of cuckoo clocks, I found myself in a fantastic world of the most diverse carpentry skills. The fascination carried me into creating a series of clocks using all kinds of mixed media. I thought of the works in the series as autobiographical points in time. One of the clocks was cast in type metal, and that piece eventually triggered the idea for Timeless,” the artist says.

Stereo is known for a rich, ornamental visual style and innovative use of recycled materials; this time she has created a bronze cast. She wanted to use a durable and therefore timeless material.

The work was produced under the Percent for Art programme, and it belongs to the collection of the City of Helsinki, managed by HAM Helsinki Art Museum.