Daniel Arsham Creates 65-Foot Sundial Out Of Snow To Honor Hublot’s Watchmaking

A notable fit as Hublot’s latest ambassador, Daniel Arsham has often explored the concept of time through his art, particularly in the Connecting Time series and the iconic Hourglass. Now, the artist has taken on the task of honoring the storied Swiss watchmaker with a new installation.

To mark the partnership, Arsham created a temporary 20-meter (65-foot) sundial—dubbed Light & Time—in the snowscape of Zermatt, a Swiss mountain resort, nestled near the famed Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps.

According to the brand, the artwork makes use of natural elements from its surroundings to merge the historical method of timekeeping with land art and functions based on the shadows cast by the quartz crystal pillar.

As the sun moves across the sky, the time of day will be reflected in the snow. Interestingly, the sundial takes on Hublot’s design language, featuring the brand’s signature elements, including the famous screws that hold the bezel in place.

More intriguingly, the luxury label noted that the installation can only be viewed from the top of the mountain, meaning that visitors will have to make the trek up the Zermatt with ski lifts to catch a glimpse of the masterpiece. 

“Physically, the temporary installation will capture something of how fleeting time can feel, but it will also be lasting, creating a memory that transcends the passing of the seconds, minutes, hours, and days in all those who make the journey up the mountain to see it,” said Arsham.

2023 marks the 20th year since Arsham was first awarded the Gelman Trust Fellowship Award and the GNMH Award, catapulting the artist to the forefront of the art world. What else will this influential creative have in store for the rest of the year? Only time will tell.

[via Time + Tide and Haute Time, images via various sources]