The actual "art map" can be found at the back of the booklet, and features 23 different art projects that can be found across the Tube. Most of them are in central London, with arguably the most famous of these being whatever the flagship exhibition is at Gloucester Road, which I discussed a while back. Currently, the exhibition is "Pond Life: Albertopolis and the Lily", which has been going on since May 2023; weirdly enough, it's supposed to have ended last year, hmmm.
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| The current art in Gloucester Road |
The exhibition is made up of a series of 4-metre wide discs, which are about the growth of the directly surrounding area of Albertopolis in the 1850s. It's by Monster Chetwynd, who was inspired by the giant Amazonian waterlily, which also inspired the construction of the Crystal Palace by Joseph Paxton. I have no idea how much longer the exhibition will stay up, but part of me thinks it will be here for much longer. Then again, as someone who often uses the station, it's definitely far better to see some art instead of random adverts all year round, so I don't mind if the art grows stale over time.
Now, you might expect this post to feature me going to the other 22 exhibitions, but I don't really have the time or money for that. Some of the art is located in far-flung Heathrow, Sudbury Town, or Blackhorse Road, and I doubt I could find a good excuse for going there beside the art. There are, however, three exhibitions located in south London, on my side of the river, and they all seem to be very close to each other. I had some free time, so I set off to look at some art.
Brixton
Brixton's art piece is very near the main entrance, when you head down the stairs to the ticket office. It's quite large as well, sitting right in front of you as you enter, so you won't miss it unless you're the kind to look down at your shoes when you walk.
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| Viewing 'The Congregation' |
This wall is also the site of various different exhibitions, with as new piece every year, inspired by murals created in the area back in the 1980s. The one currently on the wall is 'The Congregation' by Rudy Loewe, which depicts the black community in Brixton protesting and hanging out. It's quite lovely in my opinion, probably the best of the three as of today, but I'm also not sure you should head all the way to Brixton to see it. Definitely look up next time you're on the Victoria line, though.
Waterloo
I went to Waterloo next, and I'll keep this short - there's nothing there. Simple mistake on my part because the exhibition that ran here before stopped, and they'll soon be replacing it.
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| If there was any art at Waterloo, they'd have advertised it here apparently... |
The exhibition here can be found on the walkway between the Jubilee and Northern lines, and is an audio commission. Most recently, it was 'Go Find Miracles' by Rory Pilgrim, inspired by themes of the criminal justice system and how prayer can bring people together. Apparently, it was structured around a call and response prayer, so there's a very good chance it was playing on some speakers somewhere and I didn't hear it. But the stairway which featured the name of the art piece, as photographed in the Art Map booklet, had nothing on it when I came, so I assumed it was long finished.
Battersea Power Station
This one's by the ticket office as well, and it's probably the most divisive - it's modern art, oh no. It's called 'Sunset, Sunrise, Sunset', created by Alexandre de Cunha as a permanent addition to the station. It's made up of two former advertising boards, and is supposed to mimic the sun's daily shift from sunrise to sunset through colour. Apparently it's even a reference to the former power station nearby, which I like. However, it's not the most eye-grabbing piece, and it feels like something you'd find at Tate Modern instead of the Tube. For a piece centred around change, it sure looked static to me, and I doubt I'd have time to gawk at those panels for ages to see them shift.
So what have we learnt? Mainly, don't go to Tube stations for art unless you're in Kensington. But also, these pieces are actually very unique, and at least bring some light to your day if you're lucky enough to see them. So don't discount them yet.
Epilogue
There are also some other art maps provided online on the Art on the Underground website. These include:
- the Paolozzi Art Map, which specifically highlights artwork made by Eduardo Paolozzi across London Tube stations;
- the Summer Art Map, which is very similar to the Art Map, though you'll find some different artwork which isn't necessarily at a station;
- the quirkiest is probably the Brixton Botanical Map. If you feel like walking around some greenspaces near Brixton and Herne Hill, and you love plants, why not hop between some parks?
- The context behind the map is related to addressing the legacy of British colonialism and imperialism, since various plants were imported to the UK by people who were engaged in activities such as slave-owning. They even attached a reading list if you're curious, but I reckon most people will be here for the plants and not for the history lesson.
I would be lying if I said the Tube is where you'll find the best artworks ever. London has countless galleries, some of them free, and I don't mean the big ones like the National Gallery. That's without mentioning all the museums and libraries which are scattered around the city, in fact that's one of the things I love most about London. Hell, if you want paintings, you might find some if you visit a former royal palace. That doesn't change the fact that the Art Map is still a cool resource, and might make travelling around this city a bit more bearable.
By the way...do you hate modern art? Do you tend to travel around London for no productive reason? Do you see yourself walking around parks in Brixton anytime soon? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this post - leave a comment or send me an email. I can't wait to hear from you guys!
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