Crononauta: stylized photos of Brazil's abandoned public clocks

Brazilian artist Diego Kuffer writes, " I have a new series of photos called 'Chrononaut'. It's about how experience shapes the way we perceive the world and reality. Also, it pictures public clocks in Sao Paulo that are abandoned, because it isn't allowed anymore to post ads in public spaces, as part of a law that forbids this kind of visual pollution."

diego kuffer » Crononauta

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: art • brazil • happy mutants • horology • photos

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renke

“a law that forbids this kind of visual pollution”

a GREAT idea (though this seems very exploitable, so unfortunately a slippery slope)
RobDobbs

I don’t understand.
- timquinn
  
  Is this a chronic condition or new to this situation? Or maybe this is a statement of intent? I don’t feel you have given us enough information here.
- http://twitter.com/cbreuel Cristiano
  
  These clocks used to have advertisement on them, which paid for their keep. The advertisement in public spaces has been prohibited, thus many clocks have been just abandoned with no maintenance.
  - RobDobbs
    
    Chronic, with bouts of clarity.
    
    Thanks Cristiano!
    It sounds like someone should add some street art to these things.
    - timquinn
      
      yeah, me too . . .
http://www.facebook.com/diegoxk Diego Kuffer

Here’s more info about what happened in Sao Paulo
http://www.adbusters.org/magazine/73/Sao_Paulo_A_City_Without_Ads.html
Cory Trevor

“a law that forbids this kind of visual pollution”

orson_welles_slowclap.gif
- dragonfrog
  
  I was in Sao Paulo early this year. It really is cool to be in a huge city, and be able to see the city, not a huge mess of billboards that block your view everywhere. I wish my city would do something similar.
timquinn

The blank sign has very rich ambiguity, and the shattering of space is beautiful and frightening.
http://theladyfingers.blogspot.com/ Ladyfingers

Man, I wish they’d ban ads here in Sydney. Nothing like massive yellow and red billboards about sex clinics everywhere to improve a city’s appearance.
bolamig

Hawaii also prohibits billboards. One wonders whether it would be so scenic otherwise.
McGreens

I’m loving the George Braque-esque feel to these photos but can’t get past “it isn’t allowed anymore to post ads in public spaces”. Sounds heavenly but how did Big Corps® ever allow the government to do that?
- http://marcelonegrini.blogspot.com mnegrini
  
  It wasn’t that difficult, because everyone thought so impossible such law to be passed that everyone was caught off-guard. And the population response was so positive that no one has the balls to go against it. Actually the law was a general ban on large-format signage, With the Times Square style electronic billboards (which we kind of liked) also were prohibited ugly storefront signage that hid early 20th Century buildings in downtown. Whole neighborhoods were renovated just by that.
- http://www.facebook.com/diegoxk Diego Kuffer
  
  I like the George Braque comparison. Cheers!