Zeitfeld, Installation artwork in Volksgarten, Düsseldorf, Germany
Zeitfeld is an artwork featuring twenty-four station clocks mounted on tall metal poles arranged in a four by six grid pattern throughout the public garden. The clocks display different time zones, creating multiple temporal readings that shift depending on where you stand among the poles.
Artist Klaus Rinke created this work for the 1987 Federal Garden Exhibition as a public artwork in Volksgarten. He drew inspiration from childhood memories of train stations and his fascination with how modern society measures and experiences time.
The artwork reflects German ideas about precision and order through its symmetrical grid layout that organizes public space. Walking between the poles creates a contemplative experience as you encounter time marked in multiple ways simultaneously.
You can reach the installation easily from the main paths of Volksgarten, where it sits openly in the garden space. It is accessible year-round and at any time since there are no barriers, though you should watch your footing as you move between the tall poles.
The grid layout prevents you from ever seeing all twenty-four clocks at once, meaning each visitor experiences time differently depending on their path through the artwork. Some clocks intentionally display times that do not correspond to any current time zone on Earth, creating a puzzling effect.
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