Moon Shot! Finger Striker, 2022–2025
Edition of 16

Cast aluminum, enamel and acrylic finishes, functional mechanism with player actuated bell.
Designed and fabricated by Michael Papa

Moon Shot! is a conceptual piece drawing inspiration from antique penny arcade and carnival games of the early 1900s, this machine invites players to test their finger strength, accuracy, and luck in a mechanical ballet of finger-powered propulsion.

To engage with the piece, a single US penny is inserted into the coin slot at upper right. The penny descends into a launch chamber, primed for release. With one decisive strike to the launch plate, using only a single finger, the coin is catapulted upward through a rocket-shaped channel toward a mounted moon bell. A successful strike rings the bell and returns the penny to the player. Failure means the coin is lost to the machine.

The Moon Shot! project spans 16 machines; each cast in aluminum, hand-painted, aged, and serial-numbered.

No additional units will be produced.

A three dimensional painting and game, Moon Shot! occupies the strange intersection of kinetic art, speculative history, and interactive nostalgia.

To purchase the making of book, please click this link.

If you are interested in owning a Moon Shot! machine, as of this writing, there is a small quantity of machines left from the project. Please contact michaelpapa121@gmail.com

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