Jet Rocket Space Ship - Microsoft Commons (Redmond)

There’s Artemis and then there’s Jet Rocket Space Ship. Artemis may have done it better but Jet Rocket Space Ship got to your back yard first, 60 years ago. … and for only $4.98.

This was one of many space age kids toys advertised on the back of garden variety comic books back in the early 60’s, many of which were riding on the space age craze. I utilized a bunch of them for a new eatery at the time in the Microsoft Commons complex at their campus in Redmond, Washington. LunchBox Lab replaced something that had come earlier so I just worked with the wall areas and display cases, essentially rebranded the place.

This was hand-painted in place, complete with often distorted letter shapes and other artifacts based on the very low rez reference material. The hand painting gave it an integral, authentic feel and the colors were totally dialed in. On an anecdotal basis, at the time the project was lauded by many Microsoft workers as their favorite art on campus. I was just trying to bring mid-century low brow graphic art a millennial Fortune 100 workplace and ignite some low tech/hi tech frisson. Haven’t been out there in years and since LunchBox Lab has gone the way of the dodo I assume that someone new has since painted it over.