Program Notes

I developed the concept for perfect lovers after discovering the 1991 artwork of the same name by Félix González-Torres. “Perfect Lovers” uses two identical battery-powered clocks, displayed on a wall next to each other, initially set to the same time. The clocks will naturally fall out of sync or may stop entirely. The artwork was conceived shortly after González-Torres’ partner was diagnosed with AIDS, using commonplace objects such as clocks to visually demonstrate the unforgiving flow of time.

When discussing the piece, González-Torres stated, “Time is something that scares me. . . or used to. This piece I made with the two clocks was the scariest thing I have ever done. I wanted to face it. I wanted those two clocks right in front of me, ticking.”

In my piece, two performers, playing any two of the same instrument, represent the two clocks. A third party is controlling the metronome to which player 2 is listening, and slowly fluctuating it over time so player 2 falls out of sync with player 1. This third party represents the uncontrollable force of time that tears the two lovers, or clocks, apart.