Alfa Romeo Tango Art Gallery aboard Battleship IOWA hosts the closing reception of USS Indianapolis and Other Tales from the Sea by Ben Jackel.

The history-laden vessel has created possibly the first fine arts gallery, Alfa Romeo Tango, aboard a battleship. The first exhibit has been curated by celebrated Los Angeles-based artist Ben Jackel. Represented by the highly regarded, L.A.Louver, which also represent artists such as Dale Chihuly and David Hockney. Jackel’s exhibition, opened on Saturday, November 17, 2018.

The centerpiece of this show is a striking, newly completed stoneware sculpture of the doomed World War II heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis, the ship that delivered the atomic bomb “Little Boy” to the Pacific island of Tinian. A Japanese submarine sunk the vessel, but it is most famous for the tragic suffering and loss of her crew. Hundreds of whom were eaten alive by sharks. The sinking of the Indianapolis led to the greatest loss of life from a single vessel at sea in U.S. Naval history.

The naming of the exhibition space, “Alfa Romeo Tango,” is from the National Alliance Treaty Organization (NATO) phonetic alphabet spelling the word “art.” The location is on the third deck, near the semi-permanent show, “Lost at Sea: The Explorations of Dr. Robert Ballard.”

Admission to the closing reception is free. Enter by the aft (rear) gangway of the ship.

** Parking is accessible from Swinford & Harbor Boulevard. The first hour is free, and each additional hour is $2 with a maximum of $18 per day.