Fool's Hour

Fool's Hour is a 70-centimeter diameter wall-mounted Ferris wheel clock, constructed from 3D-printed transparent pink plastic. The work merges the forms of amusement park rides and traditional clocks but deliberately strips away the functionality of timekeeping. Inspired by the cultural phenomenon of clockless environments in amusement parks and casinos, the piece explores the absence of time perception in immersive experiences.
The roller coaster elements represent adventure and speed, while the slide symbolizes release and whimsy. The sculpture’s only two visible numbers, zero, symbolize the cyclical nature of time—serving simultaneously as a beginning and an end. As the Ferris wheel rotates, the numbers 9 and 6 alternately appear with changing angles. Together, the slow rotation and the unmarked clock face construct a nonlinear, cyclical, and unpredictable temporal experience.
The concept draws inspiration from The Fool in Tarot, a figure who embarks on a journey with fearless spontaneity, unmotivated by purpose or outcomes. The Fool’s state of being inspired my inquiry into how installation art can express "time as an experience" rather than "time as a tool." By presenting a clock devoid of its functional purpose, the work questions the utilitarian value of time and invites viewers to re-experience the present moment through slow, aimless rotation.
The transparent pink plastic offers a dreamy, lightweight visual effect, symbolizing the fluidity and fragility of time. Mechanically, the sculpture employs a brushless DC gear motor and synchronous belt drive system, enabling smooth, low-speed, and nearly silent rotation. This technical integration further enhances the immersive experience of time passing—slow, continuous, and quietly unfolding.
As the Ferris wheel rotated slowly and the intertwining tracks of slides and roller coasters unfolded, time no longer seemed like a linear pressure. Instead, it became a fluid, perceptible experience.