The Raygun Gothic Rocketship

The RAYGUN GOTHIC ROCKETSHIP is a grant funded large-scale group installation piece, fiscally sponsored by The Crucible. The RGR is an immersive rocketship environment consisting of a 40 foot tall, 15,000 pound steel and aluminum rocketship connected via walkway to a launch gantry. Participants can interactively explore the rocketship's three interior chambers: Engine Room, Mid-section Living Quarters, Command Module. With this piece, we creatively explore the connections between science, science fiction, and art. As a monument to the history of space travel and invention, it stands as a shining example of a time in human history when we imagined space not as the cold dark inhospitable void that can kill you, but as a new frontier full of opportunity, human potential and excitement (and yes… full of monsters to battle and overcome). The crew was made up of 60+ engineers, scientists, programmers, fabricators and artist. When working on large group projects such as this, personality, temperament and work ethic sometimes play as great a role as skill set and experience. The success and notable accomplishments of this project (and for that matter the Steampunk Tree House) have less to do with the finished piece, and more to do with the creative and exploratory “process” of invention, innovation, problem solving & collaboration.