12:12 is a series of twelve digital clocks through which Benoit Böhnke (mire·studio) explores alternative ways of representing time. Each piece reimagines this universal and familiar object, transforming a functional interface into a space for graphic experimentation where motion, colour, rhythm, and composition become new ways of experiencing and reading time. While the project explores the relationship between time and technology, it also seeks to approach it in a contemplative way.
Each clock is developed as an independent program running in real time. Instead of relying on pre-rendered animations, each visual system continuously generates its own movements and transformations according to the logic of its underlying code. Designed to adapt to different screen formats and scales, the works can exist both as personal digital objects and as large-scale displays, particularly within public spaces where they become part of the visual environment.
History
The project is rooted in a broader history of computational design and time-based artworks. John Maeda’s 12 O’Clocks (1996) remains an important reference for the way it rethinks the digital clock as a graphic system. Christian Marclay’s The Clock has also influenced Benoit’s thinking by revealing how deeply representations of time are embedded in our visual culture. With 12:12, Benoit Böhnke continues this exploration by proposing twelve distinct visual systems that invite a more playful, contemplative, and poetic relationship with time.
Production
The visual principles implemented take advantage of the perpetual nature of time. Some aspects of these dynamic systems incorporate random elements, such as randomly generated colors, shapes, or movements. Each proposal is developed in HTML, CSS, and javascript, a choice motivated by the flexibility offered by these web languages. This technical choice makes it easy to adapt the productions to different screen formats and contexts.
Exhibition
The project is adaptable to different locations and contexts. It can exist as an exhibition presenting all the proposals, or be distributed in the public space via urban display devices, in places conducive to waiting, for example. It can be displayed on one or more screens, depending on the space available. Finally, this website will bring together all the proposals. Conceived as a project in its own right, it will also be able to present content to enrich reflection on the subject.
Contact
[email protected]
@mire.studio
https://mire.studio
© Benoît Böhnke / mire.studio, 2025
Idle clock by Ioana Petcu
