Acre (Carnal Clock)

One of several unique constructions from Rauschenberg's Carnal Clock series, Acre is both a work of art and a functioning clock of sorts. When operating, the electric-powered device is designed to sequentially illuminate one or more images in a predetermined pattern. In an early interview, Rauschenberg described the mechanics of the clock: There are always two lights on; one is the minute hand, and the other is the hour hand and they do what they have to do and it's at midnight and noon that all the lights come on for one minute, and then you get to see the whole thing at once. The construction features both appropriated images and photographs Rauschenberg made specifically for this series, documenting his own body and those of some of his close friends. The work's nudity and sexual content is partially hidden from view by the reflective surface of the light box, slowing the initial comprehension of the imagery. Acre was intended to startle viewers, who were simultaneously confronted with their own reflections and graphic images of naked men and women. On this aspect of the work, Rauschenberg noted: Carnal Clocks could be considered offensive. I think Carnal Clocks was racy. My flesh tells the time marked by real people who are all still living. It was an embarrassing project. Part of the project was embarrassment as a medium, because it was about my working out my shyness to photograph my friends' intimate parts.