How Bergson’s Philosophy of Duration inspired The Present
Unraveling the true essence of time has been the subject of countless discourses. Among these, Henri Bergson's concept of 'Duration' offers an inspiring and transformative insight.
Henri Bergson, a French philosopher and Nobel laureate, challenged our traditional understanding of time as a linear progression of moments.
Instead, he proposed the concept of Duration - a continuous and indivisible flow of existence, a subjective perception of time incapable of being sliced into measurable units. Bergson argued that real-time - experienced time - is a dynamic continuum, with the past 'bleeding' into the present and the future.
Naturally, this idea is intangible, particularly in a world that relentlessly measures, segments, and commodifies time.
How can we manifest Duration, this continuity and fluidity of time, into something concrete and understandable? The quest to embody this abstract concept was one of the motivating forces that inspired the development of 'The Present.'
Bergson's idea of Duration is part of the philosophical bedrock for the creation of 'The Present.'
The Present is a deliberate, physical manifestation of Bergson's concept of Duration. While traditional clocks and calendars divide time into discrete units of days, hours, minutes, and seconds, The Present illuminates the seamless transformation of time. It is a “clock” operating on the annual time scale, moving at a pace that reflects our planet's natural rhythm of orbiting the sun.
With a new point of view from this scale, The Present provides an anchor in time, encouraging us to step away from the manufactured constraints of conventional tools and urges us to embrace the ceaseless, flowing nature of existence, as Bergson proposed. Each glance at The Present is an invitation to perceive time differently - as a single, unbroken narrative reflecting our lived experience rather than a series of disconnected moments.
Part of creating The Present is about embodying Bergon’s ideas. It is a tangible reminder of our interconnectedness with the rhythm of life and a celebration of the dynamic, cyclical nature of existence as captured in Bergson's Duration.
By blending art, philosophy, and design, The Present brings forth a new way of contemplating time, urging us to adopt a broader perspective on life and experience ourselves as part of an exalted, eternal continuum.
The Present is a temporal work of art - a physical testament to Bergson's work of Duration and a quiet reminder to celebrate the continuous, inseparable nature of our existence. It serves as an inspiring call to experience time, not as a series of fleeting moments, but as a rich tapestry of experiences elegantly woven through the fabric of life.
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