Work: Timor

Description

“Mari is absolutely convinced – an idea that he would later fully develop in his 1974 ‘Autoprogettazione?’ handbook – that only by acting consciously on things, measuring them, knowing them, correcting them by himself, can man truly possess them.” — Chiara Alessi

It was this profound conviction that birthed Timor, a timeless perpetual calendar designed by Enzo Mari in 1967 and produced by Danese. Standing 18 cm high, the calendar’s visual language was directly inspired by old railway signals, which Mari admired for their utilitarian ability to deliver critical information at a single glance.

The object is a masterpiece of minimalist economy, consisting of just two primary elements: a sleek, black ABS structure shaped like an inverted “L” and a fan-like cluster of flexible, white PVC cards that rotate around a central pivot.

The cards are meticulously organized into four distinct lengths to reveal the exact date. The shortest cards display the numerical day in a bold black font, while the progressively longer cards show the abbreviated days of the week and the months of the year. To update the date, the user simply flips the chosen strips around the axis, resting them against the 9 cm horizontal ledge of the frame.

Mari’s choice of materials ensures both longevity and tactile satisfaction. The base is molded from ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), a robust polymer known for its high impact resistance and pleasant, matte texture. Conversely, the lithographed calendar leaves are made from PVC (Polyvinyl chloride), a highly flexible plastic that allows the cards to be exceptionally thin yet incredibly resilient to years of daily handling.

Still produced today by Danese exclusively in its original black-and-white colorway, this deceptively simple object conceals a sharp critique of modern consumerism and our perception of time.

“Mari, in fact, has in mind the calendar – the object that more than any other is a synthesis of the oxymoron of our perverse relationship with the finite time we have on this earth, that is, the fact that while we measure its inexorable flow we even have the courage to waste it: every year the calendar has to be thrown away and another bought, even without having done much to use it, it has consumed itself.” says Chiara Alessi. 

Timor calendario – duration 0:34
Sonic evocation of the object created by Paolo Ferrario

Further info: Timor on the Danese website