Time Machines: Clocks in History of Technology and Contemporary Art

Dates: January 29 - May 21, 2026
Day/Time: Thursday 10:10 AM - 1:10 PM EST
Level: 400+ Level
Certificate: None
Instructor: Natalia Fedorova, Smolny Beyond Borders

As time is the only resource we have, the course invites to look at it from historical, philosophical, and artistic perspectives. As first universal machines, clocks served to coordinate states and global systems. We'll explore ancient Chinese, Indian, and Arabic clocks, study famous clockmakers like Jaques Droz, and examine artwork based on time such as Christian Marclay’s “The Clock,” a 24-hour film of cuts from early 20th century cinema. We'll also create a literary clock together.

Credits: 4 US / 8 ECTS

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Please prepare a reflective statement explaining your interest in the Smolny Beyond Borders online course. Upload the file with a title in Latin alphabet using the following format: yourLastnameFirstname_course title. The clarity and substance of your statement will play an important role in our selection process. Describe your motivations and goals for taking this course succinctly yet thoughtfully. Please write your statement in the course’s language of instruction.