LUNA, The Edge of Time. When time turns into a cosmic flow. A kinetic sculpture made with lunar dust.
LUNA is not a clock that measures time. It stages time. This fluid wall object by engineer and artist Robert Spillner translates the principle of the single-hand watch into a kinetic sculpture that makes the moment between past and future perceptible.
The idea: The Now as Pointer
The project begins with a simple yet radical observation: the past is over, the future is not yet tangible. Only one moment is real — the fleeting present. Spillner wanted to visualise this instant not as scales and numbers, but as movement. LUNA is therefore both an homage to the Now and an invitation to question one’s own perception of time.
Behind the hand lies a trace of turbulent patterns — the touched past. Ahead of itstretches calm liquid — the untouched future.
ZERO FLOW TECHNOLOGY: Fluid Time with a Cosmic Signature.
At the heart of LUNA lies a specially developed fluid with a unique particle formulation that Spillner internally refers to as ZERO FLOW TECHNOLOGY. Its core consists of distilled water, additives, micro-particles, and a minimal quantity of genuine lunar dust. This dust is certified — each piece comes with a certificate of authenticity documenting the origin of this cosmic additive.The lunar dust takes the cosmic concept to its logical conclusion. Particles that are billions of years old and once fell from space to Earth now become carriers of time.
Each LUNA thus bears a subtle yet striking signature — both cosmic and finite — a narrative detail that underlines the tension between human time and astronomical dimensions.
An Object, Not a Product
Aesthetically, LUNA presents itself as a square wall or stand object (approx. 400 × 400 × 70 mm) with a black front and and a aluminium-composite back. A cast acrylic glass pane at its centre becomes the stage for the fluid time, framed by a solid, matte-black wooden frame.
An LCD display (35 mm diameter, touch screen) serves as the ideal interface, merging the cosmic and digital realms. Time and display brightness can be adjusted easily. The owner’sname, serial number and year of manufacture appear as an intro on the display.
The object is powered by a brushless motor with dedicated electronics, supplied via a 220V/5V power unit.
This kinetic time sculpture is handcrafted in Germany as a limited edition. The fluid mixture, developed over years in collaboration with a laboratory, requires weeks of fine-tuning for each unique piece to achieve the desired long-lasting effect.
Every LUNA carries an engraved serial number and year of manufacture, signed by the artist, and comes with a certificate for the meteorite dust. Only 99 pieces per year are planned, all made on demand without customisation. LUNA thus defines itself clearly as an art object with a time function.
