Where did the time go?

We mostly experience time different to the clock. It flies by while enjoying ourselves or it stretches infinetely whilst working on tedious tasks. But still we live our lives by the clock, for the clock, under its rule. It is our standard on everything, we judge ourselves on its unnatural quotas. This Dissonance, between our time and the clocks, can lead to psychological issues and a disruption of ones sense of self-esteem.

What if we flip the script?

This interactive experience explores the tension between constructed, clock-based time and the way time is subjectively felt through the body. By translating movement into visual and sonic change, the project invites participants to reflect on how control, freedom, and perception shape our relationship with time. Rather than presenting time as a fixed system, the experience makes it responsive, something that can be sped up, distorted, or momentarily escaped through physical interaction.

The speed of the clock is controlled by the velocity of the arms. Faster movements cause time to accelerate, while standing still slows it down. This first mechanic reflects how we often experience time in real life: it seems to rush forward when we are active and almost come to a halt in moments of stillness.

The second mechanic is driven by the distance between the wrists. This distance influences the distortion and readability of the clock, as well as the sound. Stretching the arms and taking up space increases the distortion, gradually breaking the clock’s rigid structure and its strict rhythm. The further the wrists move apart, the more the clock loses its authority.

This gesture is directly linked to a sense of freedom. Expanding the body creates distance from the clock’s beat—visually and sonically—and allows the participant to momentarily escape its control. In this way, physical space becomes a metaphor for mental space: the more freedom of movement, the further one moves away from constructed time.

The visual identity of my interactive experience is simple, but it clearly communicates the underlying topic through several key aspects.

First, the point-cloud aesthetic is derived from the concept of network systems. The cloud shifts from being still and aligned with the boundaries of the displayed time to breaking free from this restriction. As it spreads out, the network gains more space for each point, resembling a distributed network. A distributed network consists of multiple inputs, different perceived times, that are all connected and form a shared sense of time. In contrast, a centralized network, like our constructed 24-hour time system, relies on a single input and one absolute concept of time. It leaves little room for individuality or differing perspectives.

The black-and-white, high-contrast visual style reinforces this idea. It represents the rigidity and absoluteness of constructed time. There is no space for color or individuality—only on time or not on time.

The sound design follows a similar concept. It shifts from a strict, monotonous beat to an evolving soundscape that becomes richer and more harmonious as time becomes more distorted. This reflects a growing harmony with our internal sense of time, which increases the less we focus on constructed time.