More Illuminated, Singing See Saws are at South Street Seaport

If you loved the illuminated see saws in the Garment District, incredibly there is an entirely separate new installation of a similar kind at the South Street Seaport called Wave-Field. Both installations light up and respond with sounds as people ride on the see saws,and  they are produced by the same design firms, CS Design and Lateral Office. The first installation of this kind was located on Montreal in 2016. The South Street Seaport installation, located on the plaza between Pier 17 and the Wavertree boat, will be up until the end of March.

Wave-Field is intended to encourage interaction and dialogue between people who may not know each other, or create a unique bonding experience for those who do. The see saws, according to the press release, “intuitively suggests that partnering up is essential in order to experience them.” The sound design, it continues,”takes its inspiration from the half-whimsical notion that electronic systems possess a life, a vibrancy, and a curiosity that is unknowable to us.”

At rest the seesaws have a humming sound, and then each see saw will emit different sounds depending on which one you sit on. “As more visitors partner up and join the conversation, the richer the artwork becomes and the more intense the physical experience is for every single participant, eventually cascading into an organic symphony that oscillates on the fine line between chaotic and coherent.”

Enjoy a city that has not one but two sets of illuminated, singing see saws! Next, check out 13 other art installations not to miss this month!

All photos courtesy Wagstaff New York.