"Pirate Cindy" poked fun of the art world and the most hated and feared art critic of the time, Charlie Finch, an art-world "Pirate". Finch co wrote "Most Art Sucks" and the "Coagula" journals.
In this installation, Tower's pickup truck was transformed into a pirate ship, actors were hired with real parrots on their shoulders to cuss at the audience. Viewers gazed at seascapes and pirate/art critic portraits through a veneer of alcohol bottles. Rum and coke was served.

Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy" mixed
Gang plank with artist pallet
1998
mixed

"Pirate Cindy" show at Trans Hudson Gallery, NYC
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
View through ship railings

"Pirate Cindy" at TransHudson Gallery, New York City

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy" mixed
Side view of ship
1998
mixed

"Pirate Cindy" show at TransHudson Gallery, New York City
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Art in America

Review by Janet Koplas

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy" mixed
Back end of "Pirate Ship"
1998
mixed

Artist turned pickup truck into a pirate ship using gallery columns as masts and canvas as sails. All truck parts were incorporated. Truck's front end was gilded and transformed into a "Treasure Chest" in the second room.
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Time Out

Review by Linda Yablonsky

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Sails
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
View showing captain's walk with cabin door ajar

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Cab interior
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Ship cabin interior

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Cabin interior with photos of truck in its youth
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Cabin interior

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Side door with map
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Pirate Muffler/flag

"Pirate Cindy" Installation at TransHudson Gallery, New York City

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Painted Truck Seat

Detail Women Pirates painted on truck seats, Piraqte Cindy, TransHudson Gallery, New York, NY
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Dismantling Truck in front of 56 South 11th Street, Brooklyn, NY

Making "Pirate Cindy" show

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Treasure chest; side view
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Treasure chest/ truck front end with gilded engine parts

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Painted pirate treasure/truck parts
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Gold ship compass

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
"Peg leg" stick shift
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Ship Anchor made from truck engine

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Installation Shot
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Cannon from truck axle

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy" Oil paint and photos of dealers, artists and collectors in bottles on canvas
Octopus
1998
Oil paint and photos of dealers, artists and collectors in bottles on canvas

"Pirate Cindy" Series
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy" mixed
Octopus Detail showing Dennis Hopper in bottle in Bottle
1998
mixed

"Pirate Cindy" exhibition

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy" mixed
Tatoo
1998
mixed
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Tatoo Detail of shoulder

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy" Mixed
Fifteen Men on a Dead Man's Chest
1998
Mixed

"Pirate Cindy" series
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy" mixed
Detail Fifteen Men on a Deadman's Chest
1998
mixed

Detail showing artist's father in center bottom bottle

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy" Oil, bottle, photo on canvas
Wreck
1997
Oil, bottle, photo on canvas

From the "Pirate Cindy" series; painted at Chaffinch State Park, CT
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy" Oil, muscles, bottle with photo on canvas
Portrait of Charlie Finch
1997
Oil, muscles, bottle with photo on canvas

Portrait of the most hated and feared New York art critic at the time, coauthor of the Coagula journals and book titled, "Most Art Sucks"

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy" Oil, bottles, photos, song on canvas
Bring Back, Bring Back
1997
Oil, bottles, photos, song on canvas

From the "Pirate Cindy" series
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy" Oil, muscles on canvas
Muscle Man
1998
Oil, muscles on canvas

From "Pirate Cindy" Series

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy" Oil on canvas
Portrait of Luke Rodney
1997
Oil on canvas

From the Pirate series
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Ransom

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Flotsome and Jetsome
Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
I dream of Jeanie

Portrait of Charlie Finch with Jeanie Deans of the Sidney Janis Gallery, NYC

Cindy Tower Installation, "Pirate Cindy"
Portrait with bird