The World’s Most Valuable Clock is an artwork created as part of the Oulu2026 Climate Clock Project. Arctic Centre researchers Sirpa Rasmus and Sari Stark shared their valuable knowledge and expertise as contributions to the project.

The artistic duo behind this ingenious clockwork are Tellervo Kalleinen and Oliver Kochta-Kalleinen. The clock was created as part of the Climate Clock series of artworks. Its purpose is to showcase and preserve significant moments based on events identified by the residents of Oulu in 2025. The artwork forms part of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme.

The minute hand of The World’s Most Valuable Clock portrays moments of everyday life, while the second hand consists of fleeting moments. The hour hand carries a deeper meaning related to the global climate crisis. It is composed of twelve one-hour videos depicting species, habitats, and natural phenomena in the Oulu region whose existence is under threat. The hour hand was developed in collaboration with researchers and environmental experts. Researchers Sirpa Rasmus and Sari Stark from the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland contributed their expertise to the development of the clock. An interview with Sirpa Rasmus about reindeer can be watched and listened to in the online version of the clock, The World’s Most Valuable Clock (available only in Finnish).

The final physical version of the artwork is a large mechanical-electronic clock that can be wound by hand, with wooden gears controlling six displays. Across these displays, the recorded moments are replayed in cycles ranging from seconds to minutes and finally to hours. The physical version of The World’s Most Valuable Clock was built together with eight volunteer clockmakers from Oulu. The clock was assembled in the old school building Orava in Kello. The artwork will tour across Northern Finland until the summer of 2027.

The inaguaration of the clock was held in May 2026 at Orava school located in Kello.

Tour Schedule:

2 June 2026 – Yli-Ii (Kierikki)
23 June 2026 – Oulu (Cultural Centre Valve)
27 July 2026 – Ylikiiminki (Community Centre)
1 October 2026 – Kiiminki (Syketalo)
1 November 2026 – Oulunsalo (Library)
10 December 2026 – Tornio (Aine Art Museum)
18 June 2027 – Hämeenlinna (Hämeenlinna Art Museum)

Read more: The World’s Most Valuable Clock