Gravity is not a function of matter, and proving that curved space-time is real is trivial. So not sure where you are going with that idea...
May be it somehow related to Kantian view mentioned there about time as a mode of perception, being, as he said, prior to all perceptions, as a condition, but not of observable phenomena, but of sequential mode of perceptual machinery of an observer?
But, as far as I know, in Russia "Kant - lokh".