Mission of the Nautilus X Project

My crew and I have created a not-for-profit Community Mobile Art Project (CMAP) called the Nautilus X. At the end of summer 2001, I had a vision of creating a continually evolving, marine themed art bus. The intent in creating this project was to spread art awareness via a safe, practical, and entertaining form of transportation.

The Nautilus X Project incorporates artists from various communities worldwide to share with the public a common vision: To transform the appearance of an articulated public transit bus retired from San Francisco MUNI into a 19th century inspired work of art in the genre of Steam Punk. A submarine like the Nautilus from Jules Verne's classic novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The Nautilus X bus is designed as a mobile art platform that publicly showcases contributing artists' creative efforts and work on the interior and exterior of the vehicle. We then provide free art tours of other art project installations at the various festivals like Burning Man for the benefit of the public and the community. The Nautilus X has been designed to continually evolve and grow with new upgrades and additional creations, and it continues this undertaking today.

In October 2001, I learned that San Francisco MUNI was replacing their aging fleet of articulated MAN coaches with new Neoplan models. The fate of these retired buses was their scheduled sale at auction, dismantling, and disposal into scrap metal grinders. However MUNI coach #6020 (the very last one of the MAN fleet) was spared this fate and would evolve into something beyond our hopes and dreams.

The Nautilus has come to represent a venture that supports and assists the community while asking for nothing in return. My ultimate vision would be to donate this vehicle to a museum or other art organization that could ensure her mission to continue as a true not-for-profit community mobile art project that benefits the public and the community.