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# Goldfish Bashes Tiny Furniture with a Hammer
- URL: https://hyperallergic.com/goldfish-bashes-tiny-furniture-with-a-hammer/
- Published: 2017-06-26T15:48:43.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-24T16:47:10.000Z
- Description: Artist Neil Mendoza has endowed a goldfish with the power to "smash people stuff," reversing the typically anthropocentric dynamics of marine power relations.
- Author: Sarah Rose Sharp
- Tags: In Brief, #wp, #wp-post, #image-position-hidden, #Import 2025-11-24 07:30(2016, 2017, part 3)

Art, as we know, is here to pose metaphysical questions about the nature of life and meaning. But also, it is sometimes here to ask: What happens if you give a fish a hammer?

It’s important, in these trying times, to take the occasional break from our struggles and focus on the adorable wrath of a goldfish, robotically engendered by artist [Neil Mendoza](http://www.neilmendoza.com/?ref=hyperallergic.com) to use a hammer to smash dollhouse furniture. The fish’s name is Smashie, and the piece is aptly titled “[Fish Hammer](http://www.neilmendoza.com/portfolio/fish-hammer/?ref=hyperallergic.com).”

“People love to break ocean stuff,” says Mendoza in the accompanying artist’s statement. “The Fish Hammer empowers fish to break people stuff.” See, we have not even taken a break from the fight for justice and equity; we are bringing the fight straight into your living room!

Well, mostly we’re watching a goldfish smash tiny furniture with a hammer, but it would be great if you could just let us have this. It’s been a rough week.

![Smashie in action (gif by Hyperallergic)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2017/06/smashie-video.gif)

Smashie in action (gif by Hyperallergic)

PS: The author is very excited to note that [robotically-enhanced goldfish](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/01/26/robot%5Fgoldfish%5Ftank/?ref=hyperallergic.com) appears to be a burgeoning genre and very much supports more work in this medium. “Give every goldfish a robot,” she mutters, much to the concern of everyone within earshot.

[*Neil Mendoza*](http://www.neilmendoza.com/about/?ref=hyperallergic.com) *has an MA in math and computer science from Oxford University and an MFA in design media art from UCLA. Thanks to* [*Chris Reilly*](http://chris-reilly.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com) *for research support.*