Greg “Craola” Simkins’ Watch and the Persistence of Memory

Some people have suggested that the era of the wrist watch is over. Afterall, who needs to consult their dumb arm for the time when it’s right there on your smart phone? My argument in support of Vannen Artist Watches is that you’re not just wearing the time, but rather, also wearing art. And in the case of the newest watch by Greg “Craola” Simkins [interviewed], it’s actually a daydream device.

Full-disclosure: I write for Vannen, and I wrote this:

The colorful creatures Simkins paints into his fine art fables are absent from this canvas; their vacancy replaced by optical illusion and abstraction. With its repeating band of contrasting stripes and hypnotic swirling faceplate, Always Look Down transforms your wrist into one of Simkins’ signature “rabbit holes”. The watch is a portal to the dream state…

I have to issue that disclaimer, but it’s also worth noting that I try to avoid writing for anything I don’t believe in. I’ve been a fan of Vannens for a while, and this one by Simkins is a new favorite for me.

Always Looks Down simultaneously recalls Salvador Dali’s 80-year-old exploration of time and consciousness via melting clocks in The Persistence of Memory. More recently, I think about the archaic swirling device “psychiatrist” John Waters used on Penny in the GOOD version of Hairspray [see gratuitous image below]. Always Look Down is limited to 150 pieces for $85 each. All packages are signed and numbered by Simkins, and hold the potential for one lucky person to receive a randomly-packed original ink drawing. They’re selling fast, so if you want to get hypnotized or trance out or meditate while riding public transportation, get yours here: www.VannenWatches.com.