MIAMI BEACH, FL (DECEMBER 01, 2006)-Industrial designers grappling with the challenge of surpassing the limits of contemporary consciousness often turn their talents to creating household goods as a way of apprehending the future. Sometimes their designs even look backward to look forward.

A prototype desk clock drawing on that “time and again” tradition will be on display at The Wolfsonian–FIU’s Dynamo Museum Shop, beginning December 6, the opening day of Art Basel/Miami Beach, through December 31, 2006. The product of a collaboration between The Wolfsonian and Harry Allen, in New York, “Borrowed Time” is a twenty-first century rendition of the streamlined Zephyr desk clock, an object in The Wolfsonian’s collection attributed to the American industrial designer Kem (Karl Emanuel Martin) Weber.

The clock is the latest addition to Harry Allen’s Reality line, known for appropriating an existing object and copying its form while updating the materials. The “Borrowed Time” clock will hew to the original dimensions of the Zephyr clock and, in place of the flipping digital display, will include a similar looking light-emitting diode.

“Borrowed Time” is expected to retail at around $100 and be in stores in May 2007.

Last summer Allen approached The Wolfsonian about collaborating on objects that could be sold at The Dynamo Museum Shop. Allen had long intended to add a clock to his growing line of home accessories, and stumbled upon the image of the Zephyr in The Wolfsonian’s inaugural catalog, Designing Modernity, while visiting a friend’s New York home.

Allen was instantly drawn to the clock’s sleek, forward-looking design, created in 1934 on the heels of the introduction of the stainless-steel Zephyr fleet of trains, named for the Greek god of the western wind, the most famous of which was dubbed the “Silver Streak.”

Allen, however, was captivated more by its iconic design than its fabled history. “It’s just a little gem," he enthuses. “It’s a great example of a style and was way ahead of its time.” Just as important, it exemplifies the streamlined styling popularly identified with Miami Beach’s Art Deco District, which surrounds The Wolfsonian, he observes. In fact, in keeping with the original clock’s Greek god namesake, both versions feature banded “speed lines” to conjure the appearance of movement, like a burst of wind. Allen’s new version, unlike the original, sought-after collectible, will be accessible to consumers everywhere, enjoying international distribution.

Perhaps the most dramatic transformation visited upon the Zephyr is the new clock’s casing. Formerly lacquered copper, chrome-plated brass, and plastic, the recast version is now a clear resin. Explains Allen: “I try to get as far away from the original material as possible. When I revisit an object I like to force people to look at an object anew with a material transformation.”

When the original housing was designed in 1934, it accommodated Depression-era timekeeping technology, which has more recently been condensed to fit inside a small metal box. “The object is the decoration,” Allen notes.

Harry Allen is the principle of Harry Allen & Associates in New York, a full-service design firm that spans multiple design disciplines, including home furnishings, product packaging, and visual display design.

About The Wolfsonian–Florida International University
The Wolfsonian–FIU is a museum and research center that uses objects to illustrate the persuasive power of art and design to explore what it means to be modern, and to tell the story of social, political, and technological changes that have transformed the world. The approximately 120,000 artifacts that comprise The Wolfsonian collection range from fine art, graphic design, and political propaganda to furniture, rare books, and ephemeral materials such as postcards and travel brochures. Since opening to the public just ten years ago, The Wolfsonian has developed and disseminated critically acclaimed exhibitions, publications, and educational programs that highlight the impact of design in shaping the modern world. Its vast patrimony of primary source materials provides unparalleled opportunities for scholarship and appreciation, making it a unique resource for local, national, and international audiences.

The Wolfsonian is located at 1001 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, Fla. Admission is $7 adults; $5 seniors, students, and children six-12; free for Wolfsonian members, State University System of Florida staff and students with ID, children under six, and Miami Beach residents with ID. The museum is open Monday, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday from noon-6pm; Thursday and Friday from noon-9pm; and is closed on Wednesday. Contact us at 305.531.1001 or visit us online at www.wolfsonian.org.

The Wolfsonian receives ongoing support from the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts; Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; Crispin Porter + Bogusky; Continental Airlines, the preferred airline of The Wolfsonian; the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation; and Karla Conceptual Event Experiences.

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