Moored on Regent’s Canal, Hope & Desperation operates as the city’s first and only fully carbon-negative floating art gallery.
London artist Sam Smith could not find the right traditional venue to showcase his artwork, so he built his own directly on the water.
The structure is made entirely from reclaimed materials, utilising an old garden shed as its base and discarded, graffiti-covered MDF boards to form the walls.
Sam, who has hosted independent exhibitions across various locations for the last four years, wanted a more direct way to put his art in front of the public. The concept took shape after a conversation with a local boat owner. Sam realised that the slow, relaxed pace of the canal towpath naturally puts walkers into a browsing mood.
Art from bow to stern
Inside the custom-built space, not a single square inch is wasted. The floating gallery hosts Sam’s ongoing projects, including his current exhibition featuring 100 horses painted over the course of 100 consecutive days.
The collection ranges from large, original framed pieces—some priced around £200—to accessible items like £2.50 postcards and prints from his previous showcases.
For Sam, the gallery is not just a venue but an extension of his creative work. He designed the boat to merge physically with the art itself, incorporating the vessel’s wooden frames and reclaimed elements into the displays to create an atmosphere of whimsy and joyfulness.
Hope & Desperation is currently moored alongside London’s well-known floating bookshop, Word on the Water. The gallery is open to the public seven days a week throughout the summer season.