1.Introduction

Time is the greatest innovator.
--Francis Bacon, "Of Innovations" (1625)

Artists and designers have long grappled with effective ways to frame, communicate, and symbolize time in visual terms. Some artists use metaphors to convey the passage of time. Others use sophisticated technologies to capture hard to perceive changes (e.g., chronophotography, time-lapse photography). Still others use time-related processes that rely on actual physical changes or transformations (e.g., the sand in an hour glass, or "real-time" datastreams on the Internet).

Understanding our relationship to time is key to appreciating historical forces, the "pace" of different cultures, and contemporary life. Our ability to negotiate the future depends in large measure on how effective we are in dealing with time as a concept.

Inquiry Questions: How does time impact your life? What "speeds" do you experience on a daily basis? Why is "managing time" so challenging for many people?