From mailboxes tied in knots to building façades that can be unzipped with a giant zipper, English artist Alex Chinneck has accustomed us to the idea that the world around us can be shaped at will, and his latest creation is yet another confirmation of this. “The Industry” is the name of what Chinneck describes as a looping boat, a real boat whose structure literally loops over itself.

The installation has been described by the artist as “a collaborative work involving structural engineers, specialist steel fabricators, waterway contractors, professional painters and traditional canal boat sign writers. Without question, this is my most complex and challenging artwork to date”. 

The boat, which aesthetically resembles traditional canal boats, is intended as a celebration of the place where it has been installed: the Sheffield & Tinsley Canal in Sheffield, England, built and opened in 1819.

Although the entire structure appears light, eight tons of steel were used for its construction, along with an aluminum covering, paying homage to the local industries specializing in working with these metals. If the structure faithfully follows that of traditional canal boats, the decoration is equally true to form, featuring the iconic Tudor Rose, a symbol of Sheffield.

“The Industry” by Alex Chenneck has become one of the city’s attractions, even securing a place on the local tourism website.