Update: the artist is unavailable for comment, but the Admiral likes the idea of filling with foam (the same stuff we use to fill voids in torpedoes, coincidentally) and hoping it lasts. I think the Admiral is full of ... uh, wisdom and sage advice. Anyhow, I'm sending a truck to Whidbey Island next week to pick the thing up. Once I have eyeballs on it, I'll know a little more about what will suffice.
The ZRC people say that electostatic means are a poor choice for their coating. A dip 'n' dunk would do the job for covering all of the internal surfaces, but a sculpture this shape would require approximately 400 gallons of the stuff. Unless you're doing at least 2 or 3 statues, that's cost prohibitive. The XO at the IMF (local ship maintenance facility) hasn't returned my calls yet, so I don't know what his facilities are capable of. If a simple aerosol spray can get to the internals reasonably thoroughly, the Rust-Oleum may just be the stuff for this job. My only concern is that I won't be able to get the inside of the trunk -- thus the concerns about dipping or electrostatic coatings.
Fun stuff. Remember, it's not just a job, it's an adventure.
Thanks for the help, all.