Las Vegas Public Art

Big Rig Jig: A Towering S-Curve of Industrial Steel

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

By the Wicked Cool Places editors · Published Thu, Aug 27, 2026 · Updated Fri, Aug 28, 2026

Why it’s cool

This massive installation transforms two decommissioned tanker trucks into a gravity-defying S-curve. Originally built for Burning Man, it stands as a four-story monument to industrial power and artistic ingenuity.

Southwest Boutique

Two semi-trucks are intertwined and curved into a vertical S-shape against a clear blue sky.

High above the pavement of downtown Las Vegas, two massive tanker trucks twist into the sky like a metal vine. This is the Big Rig Jig, a structural marvel that turns heavy industrial machinery into a fluid, four-story work of art.

Created by Brooklyn artist Mike Ross, the piece first captured the public imagination in the dust of the 2007 Burning Man Festival. It serves as a striking commentary on the global oil industry and the sheer scale of human engineering.

Why It Stands Out

Ross utilized two decommissioned 18-wheelers to build this gravity-defying S-curve. The trucks are not just hollow shells.

They were reinforced with internal steel trusses to ensure they could withstand the weight of people climbing through their curved interiors. At its peak, the sculpture reaches the height of a four-story building.

The artist drew inspiration from his own experiences hitchhiking with truckers and the nervous energy of navigating traffic in New York City. By taking these symbols of commerce and lifting them into the air, Ross created a space that is both intimidating and joyful.

It is a rare example of heavy industry being reimagined as a graceful, vertical playground. The Big Edge is another large-scale sculpture in the city that uses repurposed materials.

Before You Go

While it once stood in the remote Black Rock Desert, the sculpture has found a permanent home at the historic Fergusons Motel. You can find it in the Fremont East District at the intersection of Fremont Street and 11th Street.

The historic Atomic Liquors is also located nearby on Fremont Street. It is located just a short walk from the Fremont Street Experience.

The surrounding area is a revitalized hub of local shops and eateries, making it an easy stop during a tour of downtown Las Vegas. The Neon Museum is another downtown destination that preserves the city's industrial history.

Questions worth answering

Where can we find this installation now?

You will find the trucks at the old Fergusons Motel. The site sits at the corner of 11th and Fremont Street.

What is the story behind the design?

Mike Ross used two old tankers to build this four-story metal curve. He took inspiration from his time hitchhiking and the chaos of New York traffic.

Can people actually go inside the trucks?

The artist added internal steel trusses to the vehicles. These reinforcements allow visitors to climb through the vertical interiors safely.

How did this project get its start?

The piece debuted at the 2007 Burning Man Festival. Our own editorial grew from there to cover its new life in downtown Las Vegas.

Visit Snapshot

The sculpture is now located at the historic Fergusons Motel in the Fremont East District. You can find it at the corner of Fremont Street and 11th Street, within walking distance of the Fremont Street Experience.

Admission

Free. Public sculpture at Fergusons Downtown, Fremont and 11th.

Location

Las Vegas, Nevada

Know before you go

This sculpture has been moved to the historic Fergusons Motel, down the street from Fremont Street Experience, on the corner of Fremont St & 11th in the Fremont East District. Old Location: Burning Man Festival, Black Rock Desert, Pershing, Nevada, United States

Editorial source

Big Rig Jig

Erected at the 2007 Burning Man Festival in the Black Rock Desert of northern Nevada , Big Rig Jig is a sculpture from the young Brooklyn -based artist Mike Ross. Constructed of two repurposed 18-wheeler tanker trucks, Big Rig Jig "utilized two decommissioned trucks, referencing a global oil industry at the nexus of our world's political, social and environmental systems," according to the sculpture's official website, which is no longer active.

"By repurposing these symbolically rich objects, the artist conveys his admiration for and anxiety over humanity's power." The entire sculpture was anchored to a giant metal base with custom-built screws and other support gear. It had to be stable — more stable than most sculptures — because the inside of the curved tubes were filled with steel-truss work that allowed Burning Man participants to climb around inside.

If they reached the top of the second truck, any climbers would be about four stories high. Mike Ross received so much attention and adoration for his sculpture that he was hired by Sound Transit, an agency that seeks to reach people with groundbreaking public art.

"Ross was inspired to make the truck sculpture by the traffic in his neighborhood, where 18-wheelers make him nervous about his jaywalking habit," a Seattle newspaper reported when writing on Ross' hire at Sound Transit. "Also, Ross said, he and his girlfriend have hitchhiked across the country with truck drivers." "It's just cool to see trucks in the air," Ross told the reporter.

"I saw smiles on people's faces; that was great. That's a big part of what I'm trying to do.

Let people walk away feeling they're seeing something pleasurable, in some way."

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