The Chronophage

Midsummer Chronophage

People say the most important invention for mankind was the wheel. I think that’s untrue – I think the invention which changed mankind most of all is the clock. The wheel is the servant of mankind, but clocks control us.

Unlike the Corpus Chronophage, which resembles a grasshopper, the Midsummer has been based on a huge mythical fly-like creature with intricate wings and a sting in its tail.

I am not a person who stands still and I am always looking for ways to improve and innovate.  The Midsummer is no exception to this rule.  So the Midsummer Chronophage has been revitalised in splendid shimmering colours!

Launch at Lion Yard Cambridge on the Summer Solstice

Apart from its stunning and colourful design, the clock is remarkable because it engages with people and is a timely reminder that once a minute passes, it can never be had again. If you look carefully you will see that as the clock gets to 59 seconds (shown on the outer circle of lights) the creature eats the minute and you cannot get it back.

I’ve had an interesting life and believe that every day should be lived to the full. The Midsummer Chronophage reminds us that time quickly marches on before we know it, so it’s a good habit to make the most of each hour, week and month. To complicate matters, time is relative, so minutes can move fast when we are happy and excited yet seem to slow down when less is happening.  All this was summed up in the clock which was loaned to Lion Yard, Cambridge in the summer of 2019 where it quickly became the talking point at the prestigious shopping mall and was much admired by many hundreds of thousands of visitors.