Seiche

OWEN MCATEER (B. 1986)
Seiche
flipdiscs, computer system & 3D camera
39 3/8 x 39 3/8 in. (100 x 100 cm.)
Executed in 2024

HOFA Gallery, London, 2025

Inspired by the waters of Miami’s Biscayne Bay, Seiche reflects the delicate balance of this unique ecosystem. The calm, rolling waves in the artwork represent the Bay’s water in its natural, undisturbed state - still yet inherently balanced. When a viewer interacts with the piece, their actions act as the external forces that disrupt this balance, generating new patterns of motion and flow. This interaction mirrors the process of a real-world seiche, where an external force transforms stillness into dynamic motion.

McAteer’s conceptualization makes the science of a seiche not only understandable but also experiential. The audience becomes an active participant, creating their own 'forces' that influence the balance of the artwork, much like how natural phenomena - and human activity - impact real bodies of water like Biscayne Bay. This balance between stillness and external forces embodies the delicate interplay that defines both a seiche and the broader environmental dynamics it represents.