Tempus - Obsidian Edition

The Tempus Obsidian Edition is a mirrored kinetic light clock by British lighting artist Ben Rousseau, an illuminated timepiece whose black mirror surface pulls the room into the piece and turns the passage of time into a light ritual.

The Design

Ben Rousseau built the Obsidian edition around a mirrored fascia framed in grained black aluminum. The reflective surface catches light, movement and color from the surrounding space, then layers the Tempus animation on top, so no two installations ever read the same. Every unit is assembled in the UK with an Italian-made PCB and US-made LEDs.

The Artist

Ben Rousseau is a British designer known for large scale light installations and sculptural lighting objects. Tempus is his personal series, a family of illuminated wall clocks that translate his installation language into a piece meant for the living room, the office lobby or the private members club. Obsidian is the darkest, most sculptural version of the range, named after the volcanic glass the Mayans once valued above gold.

The Piece

The Tempus timepiece is fully controlled from a dedicated Tempus profile on iOS and Android, paired over Bluetooth. Fifteen preset colors and patterns cover ambient wash modes, slow meditative sequences and more graphic time displays. On the mirrored surface, the colors read as both light and reflection, which gives the piece its calming, hypnotic effect and makes it as much a design object as a functional clock.

Specifications

• Artist: Ben Rousseau
• Collection: Tempus, Obsidian Edition
• Materials: Mirror, grained black aluminum frame, acrylic, LED
• Size: 710 mm diameter, 45 mm frame depth, 30 mm wall bracket
• Weight: 12 kg (18 kg with packaging)
• Control: Bluetooth via Tempus app (iOS and Android)
• Preset patterns: 15 colors and animations
• Made in: UK, with Italian PCB and US LEDs
• Lead time: 1 to 6 weeks depending on stock

Discover the full Home & Interior collection at TheArsenale.