Towering at 40 feet tall and weighing 13,000 lbs, this aluminum and steel feat of engineering evokes the pop culture imagery of 1930‰Ûªs and 40‰Ûªs science fiction. While clearly a poignant commentary on yesterday‰Ûªs idea of tomorrow, the Rocketship‰Ûªs sheer artistry enchants and delights, and suspends disbelief. By day, its teardrop shaped, shining fuselage and fins brilliantly capture the sunlight, by night its portholes wink and flicker with colored lights.
The installation first landed at Burning Man 2009, and has subsequently appeared at NASA Ames for Yuri‰Ûªs Night, and at Maker Faire. The piece is comprised of a single rocketship, poised as if to board passengers for a typical run to a nearby stellar destination. In San Francisco, the sculpture is accompanied by a descriptive exhibit, in the form of a ‰ÛÏRocket Stop‰Û, which tells the story of the rocketship, provides route, schedule and other information. The installation is illuminated for nighttime viewing.