New Insta-Savvy, Immersive Art Museum Blasts Off in West Houston

New Insta-Savvy, Immersive Art Museum Blasts Off in West Houston

Worm Hole at Seismique

In the last few years, Houston has seen a number of interactive art galleries aimed at providing social-media users with picture-perfect backdrops. But a new experiential museum is taking that concept to the next level.


Seismique — a new, 40,000-square-foot space located on Highway 6 at Westheimer — opens on Saturday. Here, more than two dozen established and emerging artists created colorful and tech-savvy works using projectors, holograms, motion tracking and other techniques. It's both playful and thought-provoking, designed to let visitors find inspiration through exploration.

Brain Wash at Seismique

For example, a gallery room called Venus is a "multi-dimensional playground" emulating the surface of the planet. Japanese crochet artist Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam created one of her signature multi-colored playscapes entirely out of woven fibers — think crocheted hammocks and hanging pendulums for climbing and swinging. On the walls surrounding the Venus display is a dynamic and vibrant mural by Chicago artist C.J. Hungerman.

Eden is an Avatar-inspired exhibit, including ultra-violet, backlight reactive painting and other out-of-this-world elements. And the Acid Rain gallery features a clever optical illusion in which water appears to be raining from the ground up and, as visitors walk through, stops before once again falling from the sky.

Color Portal at Seismique

Seismique is also equipped with 40 motion-tracking cameras, which help activate all the individual experiences — touch-free! — as guests proceed throughout the space. The concept was conceived by Houstonians Steve Kopelman and Josh Corley. "We're excited to launch Seismique in our own backyard to enhance what is already one of the best places on Earth for art and culture," says Kopelman, noting that the museum embodies "the limitless potential of space exploration through the lenses of art and technology."

Tickets are $35 for adults and $28 for children 12 and under. Seismique is open Wednesday through Monday.

Art + Entertainment
Wellness Pro LeBrina Jackson on Gratitude at the Holidays: It’s a ‘Reset Button for my Mind’

LeBrina Jackson

AS WE GET into the holiday season, we’re reminded of what we have, what we want and what might be lacking. As Sheryl Crow says in her song, Soak up the Sun, “It’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what you've got.” We caught up with LeBrina Jackson, owner of Escape Spa in Cypress, Texas, and learned how she tackles the holiday season with hope, love and most importantly, gratitude.

Keep Reading Show less

Late photographer Jhane Hoang (center) and some of her subjects, including fashion models and musicians

WHEN JHANE HOANG died late last month after a quiet, private battle with cancer, Houston lost one of its most talented and exacting photographers — and my colleagues at CityBook and I lost a beloved contributor and friend.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment

John Bryan, Mary Jon Bryan, Billy Bob Thornton, J.P. Bryan

MORE THAN 500 guests gathered in Galveston for the Bryan Museum Gala, an evening that celebrated both the 10th anniversary of the museum and some of the most influential names in Texas oil and gas. Titled the Wildcatters Gala, the event honored Ernie H. Cockrell, Mary Ralph Lowe, Trevor Rees-Jones and the families of Eddy C. Scurlock and R.E. “Bob” Smith — all recognized for their legacy of leadership and philanthropy in the industry.

Keep Reading Show less
Parties