Rochdale Canal Art Trail

We were invited to create a light trail along the Rochdale Canal in Manchester City Centre.

We worked with artist, Sumit Sarkar aka Kriksix, to create twenty-two 3D horses to hide along the canal from the Deansgate Railway Viaduct to Canal Street. The horses reference the old shire horses traditionally used to pull the canal boats along the waterways - but Sumit also referenced Muybridge’s Horse In Motion from 1878. Upon completing the tour visitors can scan a QR code taking them to animation of the horse sculptures running.

We also commissioned Venessa Scott to create a vibrant floor mural at Lock 89 referencing the flora and fauna to be found along the canals and towpaths. The mural was created using environmentally friendly paint so no harm will be done to the environment when it eventually washes away…

To complete the trail we created new pieces fabricated by our friends at M3 Industries. Mirror Cove - a huge ornate gilt mirror has been placed in a nook under a bridge at Lock - reflecting the graffiti’d underpass and those wandering past. And to pay homage to the exuberance of Canal Street, Disco Curtain, made from over 600 unwanted CDs, aims to symbolise the after-dark fun and frolics of the canal by Sackville Gardens.