Luke Jerram's Withdrawn sees a flotilla of abandoned fishing boats moored up for five months in the depths of Leigh Woods.
Talks on climate change and the fishing industry are also among events planned.
Huge crowds turned out for Mr Jerram's Park and Slide project in May 2014, which saw a 90m (295ft) water slide installed in Park Street.
He told the BBC he hoped his new project would also "ignite the imagination of the public".
"It's going to be slightly eerie," he added.
"People will stumble across the boats and they'll think 'how did they get here?'
"Were they perhaps dumped here by some giant tidal surge or is this the remnants of a collapsed fishing industry, perhaps."
Mr Jerram said the five boats had been bought on various online auction sites "for a couple of hundred quid".
"These are six-tonne fishing boats that are at the end of their life," he continued.
"They'll be used as a venue for a whole series of performances and events. We're having choirs turning up, and lectures on climate change and the fishing industry."
Anna Russell, from the National Trust in Bristol, which manages the woods with the Forestry Commission, said it was an "unusual sight".
"It's absolutely thrilling that the boats are here now," she added.
"It's been a lot of planning so we're really excited that they're here finally. It's amazing to see them here."
Withdrawn has been commissioned by the National Trust's Trust New Art Bristol contemporary art programme.
It was delivered in partnership with Forestry Commission England's Forest Art Works programme as part of Bristol 2015.
It will officially open to the public on 18 April and run until 6 September.
A new street art project from the man behind last year's giant water slide in Bristol has been unveiled.