Deep sea monster

Looking down from the indoor balcony of the National Maritime Museum's Queen's House, the great, hulking mechanical contrivance that squats in the Great Hall looks something akin to a fantastical octopus.

Its limbs are the 12 vast, interlocking hoops that are meant to rotate on a central axis but, on the day I visited, the hoops were at rest due to a temporary defect.

This is a shame, but one can imagine that, once set in motion, it's an impressive sight, creaking and groaning as it moves in its representation of time. Since we are in the heart of Greenwich, time is, of course, a relevant theme, as is the contraption's resemblance to a sea monster.

Conrad Shawcross's wooden devices, which often take up an enormous amount of space and perform quite simple functions, are always beautifully made. They show the mind of an inventor as well that of a craftsman.

Two other pieces document lone sea voyages taken by the artist. In one, a circular track is mounted on a kayak, built by Shawcross himself. A projector is fixed to the track and is connected to a screen, showing us a rotating panoramic view of the sea.

Finally, The Winnowing Oar refers to an oar in Homer's Odyssey. Towards the end of his journey, the hero is told to take an oar from his ship and set off on foot, where a landlocked stranger will mistake it for a fan, finally bringing Odysseus's journey to an end.

Until Feb 6, The Queen's House, National Maritime Museum, Romney Road SE10, daily 10am to 5pm, free. Tel: 020 8312 8575. DLR: Cutty Sark