Clever Illusory Video Installation of Man Painting the Time Inside a Clock at the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

In 2016, Dutch artist Martin Baas created an illusory video installation that made it appear as if a man was manually painting the time from inside a clock at the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Entitled the “Schiphol Clock”, the video runs for twelve hours and is a part of his amazing “Real Time” series.

In 2016, Baas created the Schiphol clock in which a working man can be seen painting the time minute by minute. The clock is installed in the international terminal of the Amsterdam airport, one of the last things travellers see before departing the Netherlands. The worker’s blue overalls, yellow rag and red bucket pay homage to the famous Dutch artist, Mondrian.

While waiting for her flight journalist Heather Walker took notice of the installation, first thinking there was actually a man inside the clock.

At first I thought the man painting the hands of the clock was real (it’s life size) but then realised it was a video installation. I later found out that the clock is called ‘Real Time’ and was created by Dutch designer Maarten Baas, who is the man in blue overalls. It took him 12 hours to film.