London Underground: "Art On The Underground. For Everyone, Every Day"

St. James Station – including the historic Headquarters of London Underground

The building was designed by Modernist architect Charles Holden. The cross-shaped plan has wings in the north, south, east, and west. Eight sculptures, two on each wing, are intended to reference the ‘Winds in Athens’ ancient Greek Tower. The two carved reliefs for each wing were done by Wyon, Aumonier, Gerrard, Rabinovitch, Gill, and Moore. There are two other sculptures on the building known as ‘Day’ and ‘Night’ by Epstein. They were heavily criticized in 1929 for being indecent. Epstein’s inspiration was taken from ‘primitive’ art and the work was carved directly into the façade of the building, which was later embraced later in the twentieth century.

Embankment Station

In 1995, painter and print maker, Robyn Denny (1930 – 2014), was commissioned to create artwork for Embankment Station. The station’s location, sitting on the bank of the Thames River, provided the inspirations for the work of art. Pieces are found on the Bakerloo, Circle line, District line, and Northern line platforms. The four different color lines are used to represent these four Underground lines that serve the Embankment station. Additionally, the red to represent the Tube train and the blue represents the Thames River. You will also find Robyn Denny’s signature on selected panels on each platform.

Tottenham Court Road Station

Tottenham Court Station has the mosaic works done in 1986 by Eduardo Paolozzi (1924 – 2005) and commissioned Daniel Buren for his works in 2016. This station is now one of London’s greatest spaces for public art.

Some of the most magnificent examples of post-war public art is that of Eduardo Paolozzi’s mosaics at Tottenham Court. Paolozzi played a critical role in the development of British art in the late twentieth century. His work is featured prominently on the Northern line and Central Line platforms as an enduring legacy to his work. The glass mosaics reflect the artist’s interpretation of the local area and his wider interests in mechanization.

One of France’s greatest living artists and one of the most significant contributors to the conceptual art movement is Daniel Buren. He was commissioned in 2008 when the station underwent significant renovations. His approach focused on the makings of various spaces with the simple repeat forms: colors, diamonds, circles, and his trademark stripes, all sitting behind a wall of glass. Buren’s work creates a symbol of space and time as you move through the station.

Edgeware Road Station

Covering 1,500 m² (16,146 ft²), Jacqueline Poncelet’s, art work ‘wrapper’ is the largest vitreous enamel artwork in Europe. The artwork is visible from station platforms such as Chapel Street and Marylebone Road. The artwork is made of patterns and grids in response to the ever changing area. “A pattern not only speaks of other places, but it changes in our culture and the passage of time,” Poncelet once said.