Heisenberg clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1983
This postmodern mantel or table clock, titled 'Heisenberg', was designed by George Sowden in 1983 as part of the collection 'Objects for the Electronic Age'. Produced in Milan by ARC 74 S.A.S. (later Design Gallery Milano srl), the object features a sculptural, architectural framework made from painted sheet steel housing a quartz mechanism. The design stands 33.5 cm high, 26.5 cm wide, and 6 cm deep.
The clock is constructed with geometric bent and flat steel components in contrasting painted colours, including orange, yellow, and green. A central rectangular casing encloses a silk-screened clock face decorated with an abstract pattern, fronted by clock hands. The upper and lower horizontal bars, connected with vertical and angled brackets, create an openwork structure that emphasizes sculptural form and ornament over traditional functional casing.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
The 'Heisenberg' clock is part of a series of twelve objects conceived and designed by George Sowden alongside his wife, designer Nathalie du Pasquier. The series explored the design transition between mechanical and electronic devices, arguing that while mechanical objects require rigid housings, electronic objects allow complete visual and sculptural freedom. The name pays homage to physicist Werner Heisenberg and his uncertainty principle. Although independent of the Memphis design group, of which Sowden and du Pasquier were core members, the series incorporates characteristic Memphis traits such as painted steel, vibrant colour, and decorative postmodern micro-architecture.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Sheet steel, paint, slik-screen print, quartz
- Dimensions
- Height: 33.5 cm; Width: 26.5 cm; Depth: 6 cm
Technical characteristics
- Maker recorded
- George Sowden; ARC 74 S.A.S.
- Place recorded
- Milan
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Heisenberg
- Museum object number
- W.22-2010
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.