Real Time is a kinetic digital public art installation created by renowned Dutch designer and artist Maarten Baas. Cantilevered high above the street, the double-sided, 2.5-meter round clock appears at first glance to be a frosted translucent timepiece—behind which a life-sized man seems to be physically trapped inside.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Maarten Baas (b. 1978) is one of the Netherlands' most influential contemporary artists and designers. He is globally celebrated for his Real Time clock series—including iconic installations at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport—which explore the perception of passing time by replacing mechanical clockwork with recorded human labor.

HOW IT WORKS & MOVEMENT:

While appearing static in photos, the clock face is a high-definition, double-sided LED screen playing a continuous 12-hour synchronized performance that displays the exact, real-time hour and minute of the day:

Behind the translucent face, a silhouetted figure dressed in a 19th-century three-piece suit (a nod to Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the legendary engineer of Paddington Station opposite) works constantly inside the dial.
Every 60 seconds, the figure walks over to the minute hand, wipes it clean with a rag or roller, and carefully repaints the new hand one minute forward in real time.
As the minutes pass, you can see his shadow moving back and forth, putting down his brush, inspecting his work, and waiting for the next minute to strike before repeating the process minute by minute, hour by hour.

LOCATION NOTE:

Mounted perpendicular to the building facade at 50 Eastbourne Terrace (Paddington, London W2 6LG), directly opposite the Elizabeth Line entrance to Paddington Station. The clock hangs 7.8 meters above the pavement, making it easily visible from both Eastbourne Terrace and Spring Street.

Trompe-l’œil

Artworks