The Virtual Corkscrew Museum's Daily Newspaper

Sailing into 2004

Bilbao, Spain, The Guggenheim Museum - Knife Ship I, 1985 is a prop from the performance in Venice, Italy of Il Corso del Coltello (The Course of the Knife). This huge Swiss Army knife (31 feet 8 inches x 31 feet 6 inches x 40 feet 5 inches) was created in collaboration with Coosje van Bruggen and architect Frank O. Gehry by Claes Oldenburg. The centerpiece of the performance was launched from Venice's centuries-old naval yard, the Arsenale.

Oldenburg performed in costume as Dr. Coltello, traveling souvenir salesman. Van Bruggen played Georgia Sandbag, George Sand reincarnated as an itinerant travel agent. Gehry was Frankie P. (for Palladio) Toronto, a barber from California.

The Knife/Ship was installed at the Palacio de Cristal in Madrid from June 18 - September 9, 1986.
The Knife/Ship II was installed at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York from December 16, 1986 - February 16, 1987. Photograph by Myles Aronowitz.
At the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France from July 8 - October 5, 1987.
Finally, in Los Angeles, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, March 22 - June 19, 1988. Photograph by Douglas Parker.

Photos and details used with permission of Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen Studio per Sarah Crowner who references the following details:

Knife/Ship I, 1985
Steel, wood, plastic coated fabric, motor
Closed, without oars: 7 ft. 8 in. x 10 ft. 6 in. x 40 ft. 5 in. (2.3 x 3.2 x 12.3 m)
Extended, with oars: 26 ft. 4 in. x 31 ft. 6 in. x 82 ft. 11 in. (8 x 9.6 x 25.3 m)
height with large blade raised: 31 ft. 8 in. (9.7 m)
width with blades extended: 82 ft. 10 in. (25.2 m)
Guggenheim Museum Bibao, Spain Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen

Knife/Ship II, 1986
Steel, aluminum, wood; painted with polyurethane enamel
Closed, without oars: 7 ft. 8 in. x 10 ft. 6 in. x 40 ft. 5 in. (2.3 x 3.2 x 12.3 m)
Extended, with oars: 26 ft. 4 in. x 31 ft. 6 in. x 82 ft. 11 in. (8 x 9.6 x 25.3 m)
height with large blade raised: 31 ft. 8 in. (9.7 m)
width with blades extended: 82 ft. 10 in. (25.2 m)

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