RHYTHM, PRESENT YET PERIPHERAL
2023
Susan Buttner, Rhythm, Present, Yet Peripheral, 2023 HD Film 1.30 min, with sound.
Developed within the boathouse space, the work gathers photographic, sculptural, and conversational traces shaped through daily observation of the harbour and shoreline. Tidal rhythms, drifting buoys, coastal erosion, and scattered debris accumulate through repeated acts of recording and return. Sea, land, weather, and human activity remain in continual negotiation.
Upholstery foam, pipe insulation, plastic wire, latex rubber, and seawater are bound, folded, suspended, and held under pressure. Materials absorb weight, moisture, and tension. Surfaces ooze, sag, and gather residue from prolonged exposure to salt air and shifting environmental conditions.
Over a three-month period, the artist extended an open invitation for passers-by to enter the boathouse and engage with the work. Conversations unfolded gradually through shared experiences of the harbour, the beach, and their changing conditions over time. These exchanges became part of the work’s evolving structure, informing its rhythm, material shifts, and spatial atmosphere.
Materials
latex rubber, sea water, metal frame, plastic grip, oil on board, upholstery foam, plastic wire, spray paint, brackets, screws.
Dimensions
various dimensions.
Photographs
installation view, courtesy the artist.
Year
2023





