Tristin Lowe's 52-Foot Cold-Air Inflatable Whale

Inflatable Albino Sperm Whale Designed by Tristin Lowe in Collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia

We at Landmark Creations feel all our inflatables are works of art. However, we must admit, we've never been asked to create a cold-air inflatable that would be used as an art exhibit. You know us, if we're going to do something new, we're going to do it BIG!

Tristin Lowe, working in collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia, visualized a recreation of the albino sperm whale that inspired Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick. In order to create this artistic masterpiece, they needed a very select armature to work with.

Project Coordinator Andrea Landau explains. "We hoped to find an armature solution that was pliable and could be sculpted yet have the stability to achieve our dimensions for a 10.5’ high by 52’ long sperm whale. This armature needed to convey the form of the bone and muscle structure of a whale. This form work was essential, in order for our industrial felt skin to fit around properly. We also needed an armature that was lightweight, easy to install and very portable." A custom-made, cold-air inflatable was the perfect solution."

Since studios are open to the public, visitors to The Fabric Workshop and Museum were able to see the whale take shape from concept to completion. Now on display, Mocha Dick (named for the vicinity in which he terrorized whaling vessels in the South Pacific) consists of 9,000 square feet of white, 1/4-inch thick, 100% wool, industrial felt and 267 hand-sewn barnacles.

Andrea continues, " Landmark was enthusiastically up for the challenge, while being able to deliver on time and within our budget."