English artist and fashion designer Carri Munden, artist name Cassette Playa, presents a fascinating new chapter in the ongoing story of Swatch and Art. She begins with a fluorescent plastic strap on which flashy green shades into dark blue, as if green were the colour of daylight emerging from the depths of night. Dark blue at the tip of the 6 o'clock side and at the buckle end of the 12 o'clock side lightens gradually into fluorescent green at the point where the strap joins the solid green plastic case; the plastic buckle and loop are the same shade of green as the case. The dial presents an intriguing variation on the green daylight theme through the use of superimposed rotating plastic discs. A small yellow arrow marks the minute disc and a large yellow arrow marks the hour disc, which shades from green into dark blue; as the discs rotate the yellow arrows act as hands to indicate the time. The artist also makes use of an innovative printing technique to present abstract graphic signs that help in reading the 24-hour movement (the hour hand takes 24 hours to complete one revolution). Arabic numerals appear in black on the inner surface of the watch glass: a large Arabic numeral 24 at 12 o'clock, a smaller Arabic numeral 12 at 6 o'clock. A hollow black triangle positioned at 3 o'clock is followed by small black Arabic numerals 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11; Arabic 18 is positioned at 9 o'clock. At ten o'clock a larger graphic sign indicates 'less than 11' (<11). Insomniacs puzzled by this delightful design may consult the time by night: this Gent glows in the dark. |
