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Ralph Helmick & Stuart Schechter

"Fata Morgana"

Sculpture - Mobile

32' x 32' x 16'

2001

Port Everglades

*not currently on display 

Ralph Helmick and associate artist Stuart Schecter designed and fabricated a giant three-dimensional pointillist ship sculpture for the lobby of Terminal 21. Measuring approximately 32 feet high, 16 feet wide and 32 feet long, the sculpture dominates the south end of the expanded cruise ship terminal.

'Fata Morgana', the sculpture's title means an optical illusion of water, also known as mirage. The image of a mid-twentieth century ocean liner and its reflection on the sea is created by more than 25,000 small cast pewter elements hung on nearly 1,700 fine cables with incredible precision to an overhead suspension grid.

Visitors entering Terminal 21 on ground level would gaze up at the underside of the ship, and they could also look at the whole sculpture on the second floor of embarkation level. Viewing is limited to travelers only, other viewing is by appointment.

The artists worked closely with the architecture firm, Scharf & Associates, Inc. to determine a highly visible location for the artwork.

"Fata Morgana: an optical phenomenon that creates the illusion of water, often with inverted reflections of distant objects, and results from distortion of light by alternate layers of hot and cool air. Also called mirage."

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