‘Behind the Scenes’ Reveal of Major New Artwork for Sheffield’s Canal

With just a few weeks to go until a major contemporary artwork for Yorkshire is installed on the Sheffield & Tinsley Canal, ‘behind the scenes’ images and footage have been released showing the giant loop-de-loop steel narrowboat artwork being built and assembled. 

This will be the first artwork on water by ‘Art’s Master Illusionist’ British artist Alex Chinneck. The impressive canal boat artwork measures 13 metres long and six metres high.  It incorporates signwriting and traditional canal boat colours to celebrate the history of Tinsley, Sheffield’s historic waterways and industrial heritage.

The photographs and video footage released show the scale and complexity of this ambitious artwork due to be installed mid-September.

Alex said: “It’s extremely exciting to share the progress of this project which we’ve been working on for several years.

“This is a collaborative work involving structural engineers, specialist steel fabricators, waterway contractors, professional painters and traditional canal boat sign writers. Without question, this will be my most complex and challenging artwork to date.”

Positioned between locks 4 and 5 of Sheffield & Tinsley Canal, near to Meadowhall Shopping Centre, its position away from the navigable channel of the canal will serve as a gallery space for the sculpture, enabling the loop-de-loop work to be viewed from 180 degrees by passing narrowboats and from the towpath.

Co-funded by British Land and by energy company E.ON, who committed to creating a public artwork as part of its redevelopment of the Blackburn Meadows site, the artwork is welcomed by the Canal & River Trust waterways charity that looks after Sheffield & Tinsley Canal.

Sean McGinley, regional director, Yorkshire & North East at Canal & River Trust, said: “Sheffield, like many cities, is intrinsically shaped by its historic waterways. Still used and operated by boats as they have been for hundreds of years, it’s wonderful to see our nation’s canals, a remarkable national treasure, being celebrated by this contemporary artwork.

“Our job is to keep the canal network alive for boating and the community to enjoy. It is great to be able to work with such an amazing contemporary artist and funders of the project to celebrate canals, canal boating and our local heritage.”

The planning application for the artwork was submitted by artist Alex Chinneck on behalf of the Tinsley Art Project Board, which includes Sheffield City Council, E.ON, British Land, Tinsley Forum, Canal & River Trust and Yorkshire Water.

Graham Whitfield, Tinsley Forum, said: “We are looking forward to seeing Alex’s vision and our ideas becoming a reality. It will be fantastic for the area to have this unusual and playful addition that will help to inspire young and old to have an interest in art, health and the local waterways, whilst transforming an area of Sheffield, where there is a lack of public art.”

Cllr Martin Smith, Chair of the Economic Development and Skills Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “The designs for this public artwork in Tinsley are bold and ambitious.  Not only do they celebrate the history of the area, but they also encourage the discovery and enjoyment of the waterway. We hope that once unveiled, local people, and visitors alike, will enjoy and learn from the new sculpture.”

Darren Pearce, Centre Director at Meadowhall Shopping Centre, said: “We’re looking forward to seeing this unique public art project take its place on the Sheffield & Tinsley Canal. In creating this striking artwork, the collaborative project not only celebrates Sheffield’s industrial past but also provides an opportunity for the local community and visitors to come together to enjoy the historic waterways that are so much a part of Sheffield, and particularly the area around Meadowhall.”

Chris Lovatt, Chief Operating Officer for Energy Infrastructure Solutions at E.ON, added: “We committed to funding a public artwork that reflects the industrial past of Sheffield as part of our redevelopment of the Blackburn Meadows site into the renewable energy plant that serves the city today. This is a project that’s been a few years in the making and we can’t wait to see it come to fruition.”