Big Rig Jig Art Keeps on Truckin'

What would you do if you saw two 18-wheeler trucks smashed together? While most people would notify the police of a potential accident, this installation is far from that.

New York sculptor Mike Ross created an installation called Big Rig Jig, comprised of two 18-wheeler steel tanker trucks.

“Big Rig Jig is a rumination on power as manifest in the relationship between humankind and nature. The sculpture utilizes two decommissioned 18-wheeler tanker trucks, referencing a global oil industry at the nexus of our world's political, social, and environmental systems. By repurposing these symbolically rich objects, the artist conveys his admiration for and anxiety over humanity's power,” says Ross in his artist statement.

Since 1998, Mike Ross has been designing large-scale sculptures. His work has appeared all over the world and featured in many festivals.

Big Rig Jig was featured at the Burning Man’s festival in Nevada last year. It was four stories high and people were able to climb through the curved tubes of the sculpture and explore what looked like the dirty undercarriage of the truck. The piece was built in Oakland, California and that is where it now resides until a permanent home is found.

I love big, massive sculptures like this because I always feel that if I stand under them, they’re going to tumble down and crush me. I think it’s pretty cool that people were able to explore inside this piece. It makes me wonder though; do you think a huge sculpture like this tends to get its point across to people better than a small sculpture or installation? What do you think?

Copyrighted images used with permission. Thank you to Mike Ross.