Art for the Passenger: The 25th Anniversary of Art on the Underground

“I have created a lot of artworks exhibited in galleries and art spaces. But it’s always a great opportunity to create something outside or in public spaces because there is the potential for it to come into contact with people who would otherwise never go to art galleries. I like the idea that the artwork can bring certain dialogues into public space that might otherwise not exist there. As the commission is up for so long, people can engage with various aspects of the work overtime. Tube stations are such transient places that there will be people who will only see it for seconds every day, and then there will be other people who spend time with it. So, I like the idea that there are different entry points or layers for people to engage with despite how long they spend with it.”

- Rudy Loewe 

Eduardo Paolozzi mozaics at Tottenham Court Road Station. Photo Courtesy: Elephant.

Are train stations pretty? Are they fun? Do they create a sense of local pride and identity? These questions are not usually what comes to mind as you are walking to your train every day. The constant monotony of commuting is a drag on us all, especially when we have nothing but brick walls to look at. Almost everyone in the London area has had to use public transport, but it has never been something that I have heard people talk about with fondness. It is just a necessity for many that have business across different areas of London, or for visitors trying to explore. And while I think there is a charm to many of the stations, overall, you wouldn’t call them beacons of creativity. However, there are gems that have been popping up all over the underground for decades. 

It never struck me to think deeply about the aesthetics of these stations; until I stopped to look at the large mosaic by Eduardo Paolozzi at Tottenham Court Road. It was then that I started realizing how much art was being created for these spaces, and how truly massive many of these projects are. As someone who is new to London—and to public transportation—it isn’t something that I feel is attached to my identity. But for people who have been living in London for years, it is so special to have a connection to artwork even while getting from point A to point B. Not to mention a great thing to admire while you wait for that delayed train.

Art on the Underground used to be known as Platform for Art when it officially launched in 2000. However, artists have been commissioned to make work for the underground since the 1900s, such as posters and other designs that would help build the brand. Throughout the 1960s and 1980s, artworks were commissioned on a project-to-project basis to fill empty spaces, such as the Paolozzi. 

Since 2004, artists have also been commissioned to create designs for the tube maps—one of the largest public art commissions in the UK. 

By 2007, the name was changed to Art on the Underground, and the program expanded to include more temporary sites and permanent artworks.  

The Art on the Underground project injects some much-needed life into the everyday act of going to work or traveling in and out of the city. Not only does it spruce up an otherwise bland setting but also offers a way for us to connect with the history of the city, while looking ahead to the future and how we want it to be shaped. Exploring social, political, and environmental issues, local and international artists come together to be a part of this conversation and make their own mark on London’s ever-growing culture. The diverse array of installations is exciting and shows how art can come in many forms and be catered to different spaces to create public experiences meant to share local stories and public activism. The everyday commuter is given the opportunity to engage with art while performing a mundane task, allowing them to be a part of these conversations that artists want to foster in their work. 

This year four artists have been commissioned to do various public projects across London: 

Ahmet Öğüt. Photo Courtesy of Dahahm Choi.

Ahmet Öğüt is a multimedia artist who utilizes humor to examine and discuss social and political issues. He also often collaborates with those from other spheres in order to explore other perceptions of the common world.  

This year, Öğüt will be collaborating with New Contemporaries, which is an organization that supports emerging artists, on a large-scale piece for the Stratford Underground Station in March.  

Agnes Denes. Photo Courtesy: ArtReview.

Agnes Denes is most well-known for her environmentally focused works of the 1960s and 1970s, where she created massive land art. But she has also dabbled in other mediums such as sculpture, drawing, and poetry.  

Denes will be providing artwork for the Spring 2025 Pocket Tube Map. This project will be based on her previous drawing piece Map Projections from 1980. 

Rory Pilgrim. Photo Courtesy: Janneke van der Puttenz.

Rory Pilgrim is an artist that specializes in audio and visual art, including composing and writing music, film, performance, and drawing. Pilgrim explores how we communicate in different ways, and how these forms of communication can lead to social change and forming connections. 

Pilgrim is creating a new audio piece for the Waterloo Station, which will be played for a two-week period in early July. 

Rudy Loewe. Photo Courtesy: Christa Holka.

Rudy Loewe is a multidisciplinary artist who works to uncover stories and histories of those that have been ignored and erased. Through the use of characters, they create stories of breaking through long established narratives and bringing to light those that have long been suppressed.  

Loewe will be creating work for the ninth Brixton Mural Program—which has been funding local artists in Brixton to create murals since the 1980s—in November. When asked about how this project will engage with their London audience, Loewe told MADE IN BED: “For the Art on the Underground commission, I am creating a painting highlighting ways people have gathered in Brixton over the last 75 years. Brixton represents so many things to different people. So, it would be impossible for me to create a work that speaks to everyone completely. Hopefully, there are enough layers to the painting that people can feel connected to some aspect of it or are curious about one element of the history.” 

I also asked them about their conceptual process:

“My approach to painting is very research-focused, involving archival materials and interviewing people from different moments in time. People cannot look at this painting closely, so I need to be mindful of how much detail to add. I am thinking about people’s physical proximity to it and whether they can see what I am doing at all. Because the commission is for Transport for London, there are also all these rules about what I can or cannot include. So, it has been an interesting process to ensure I am not watering down my ideas whilst simultaneously working within these restrictions. 

I am excited to make work about Brixton because it’s a place rich with radical histories. But it is also completely overwhelming. There are so many loud sounds and intense smells, it is busy no matter when you go. It's always possible to get into conversations with people or find yourself in a ruckus. It’s a challenge to convey such a sensorial experience in painting. 

The first thing I often decide when painting are all the elements, such as people, places or histories. The last thing I decide is the composition and finding a way to jigsaw puzzle all these elements together.” 

The diverse forms of art that we are in store for this year will no doubt create a lasting impression on those going about their daily rituals, putting an extra spring in their step and creating something unique to this city. Hopefully this wide array of works also encourages people to travel outside of their normal routes and explore other parts of London.  

Bibliography:

“Ahmet Öğüt”, Ahmet Öğüt, Accessed February 26, 2025, https://ahmetogut.com/.

“Agnes Denes”, Agnes Denes, Accessed February 26, 2025, http://www.agnesdenesstudio.com/.

“New Contemporaries”, New Contemporaries, Accessed February 26, 2025, https://www.newcontemporaries.org.uk/.

“Rory Pilgrim”, Rory Pilgrim, Accessed February 26, 2025, https://www.rorypilgrim.com/.

“Rudy Loewe”, Rudy Loewe, Accessed February 26, 2025, https://rudyloewe.com/.

“TFL announces new artworks as it celebrates 25 years of Art on the Underground”, Transport for London, Accessed February 26, 2025, https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2025/january/tfl-announces-new-artworks-as-it-celebrates-25-years-of-art-on-the-underground.

“2025 Programme Announcement”, Art on the Underground, Accessed February 26, 2025, https://art.tfl.gov.uk/projects/2025-programme-announcement/?numPostamp;pageNumber=&autocomplete=&autocompleteText=&archive=0&action=projects_loop_handler.

Stella Koslowski

En Plein Air Co-Editor, MADE IN BED