Description
Referencing the animal/machine hybrids of Christopher Schulz, Stuart’s Tommy Gun Shark’ is a clever juxtaposition of potent symbols. The Thompson submachine gun, also known as the ‘Tommy Gun’, gained notoriety in the 1920s in the hands of American gangsters. The shark is a marine predator that British artist Damian Hirst submerged in formaldehyde and called ‘The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living’, which subsequently sold for eight million pounds. Together they illuminate each other. Sleek, cold, sterile, territorial and inhumane, ‘The Machine Gun Shark’ is a rare specimen that can be admired at close range.
Tommy Gun Shark—Mechanical Predators: An Intriguing Fusion of Precision and Ferocity
“Tommy Gun Shark” is a clever and striking bronze sculpture that juxtaposes potent symbols of power and danger—the Thompson submachine gun and the marine predator, the shark. This machine gun and shark symbolic sculpture serves as an artistic commentary on aggression, territoriality, and the inhumane aspects of both machinery and nature.
Loaded and Dangerous—A Fusion of Potent Symbols
Referencing the animal/machine hybrids of Christopher Schulz, Stuart’s “Tommy Gun Shark” ingeniously combines the notorious Thompson submachine gun, also known as the ‘Tommy Gun’, with the formidable presence of a shark. The Tommy Gun, infamous for its use by American gangsters in the 1920s, represents cold, sterile, and inhuman precision. The shark, epitomized by Damian Hirst’s submerged piece ‘The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living’, symbolizes sleek, territorial, and deadly nature.
Sleek, Cold, Sterile and Inhuman—An Enigmatic Specimen
“Tommy Gun Shark” captures the essence of both symbols, creating a rare and enigmatic specimen that embodies aggression and dominance. The sculpture’s sleek and angular lines reflect the mechanical precision of the Tommy Gun, while the streamlined form of the shark conveys natural ferocity and predatory prowess. The bronze material, with its robust texture and polished finish, enhances the sculpture’s imposing presence, making it a standout piece in any modern or industrial setting.
Placed in corporate offices, contemporary art galleries, or avant-garde public spaces, “Tommy Gun Shark” serves as a provocative symbol that challenges viewers to contemplate the intersections of nature and machinery, power and aggression. Its unique design sparks conversation and invites reflection on the similarities and contrasts between human-made tools of violence and the natural predatory instincts of wildlife.
Ultimately, “Tommy Gun Shark” stands as a testament to the intricate balance between man-made precision and natural ferocity. This dangerous hybrid symbolic art sculpture not only enriches its surroundings with its bold and striking design but also serves as a thought-provoking piece that explores the complexities of power and aggression in both human and natural realms.
