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Piece 34 / 217Creatures2019

U.S.S. Gaslight

Year2019
Dimensions96” x 90” x 28”
CategoryCreatures, Large Scale
StatusIn a collection
U.S.S. Gaslight
U.S.S. Gaslight in motion
IN MOTION
U.S.S. Gaslight · running2019
The story
The Gaslight was originally designed as a pirate vessel.

The ship would surface near land, in foggy conditions and mimic light house signals in order to attract oil tankers, then attack and drain them. The design was so effective it was later adopted by oil companies as a low cost alternative to drilling, and eventually the Navy for diplomatic purposes.

Every element was found — scrap yards, second-hand stores, dumpsters — then cleaned, stripped, sorted and rebuilt. Found aluminum is TIG-welded and sanded seamless; nothing is cast. The electronics are salvaged from consumer devices, repaired and rewired so the piece does something when you touch it.

Parts list

Materials

Everything in this piece had a previous life. Nemo’s own inventory, in his words.

Aircraft wing tips, motor boat engine parts, grapefruit spoons, fan blade, model train people, gears, windmill tower, gas pump, micrometer, miscellaneous salvaged hardware, motors, LEDs, aluminum, steel.