5 5 5 — 4 4 4 — 3 3 3 — 2 2 2 — 1 1 1

The timing of each flashing digit is slightly off-set from the others (59, 60, & 61 beats per
minute). This forms a slow, cyclical, and evenly modulated pattern that drifts in-and-out of
sync over the span of five minutes. This migration of quasi-coordinates provides an odd
mixture of sensations and recollections. The encounter simulates the anticipation and anxiety
of an impending detonation or launch. The assumed immanence of an unknown, soon-to-come
event is alarming. Yet the off-set countdown continues to revolve; technically, nothing happens.
What’s more, the rhythm of this oscillating numeric pattern creates a strange lulling or
numbness. The smooth drift in-and-out of sync forms a rather pleasurable yet disorienting
series of cycles within larger cycles. Countdown recalls (yet falls short of) a cinematic event.
It is a spectacle that contours—and at the same time—denies access to the coordinated timing
of an unfolding event.