Handles, pedals, and counterweights bring her to life, revealing the physical energy behind her every motion.
She is created as part of an international exchange between artists from Greater Manchester and Catalonia, through a collaborative design and making process rooted in shared industrial histories. Her form reflects both cities’ connections to engineering, innovation, and street-based sculpture.
Hand-painted silks are incased in clear resin, creating a stained-glass effect. Cog motifs and layered textures reference the machinery and mills of the industrial revolution, shared across Manchester and Barcelona.
The Worker Bee is both machine and monument. A moving tribute to the people who powered these cities and a reminder that heritage and creativity continue to evolve through collective effort.
The Worker Bee was created as part of The Worker Becomes Queen, a new commission by XTRAX for MCRxLaMerce2025 produced by Global Grooves. You can read more about The Worker Becomes Queen here.
Supported by Manchester City Council, Arts Council England and XTRAX. Funded by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), GM Arts, Oldham Council, and Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council.
