To mark the 150th anniversary of the Tube, Art on the Underground has invited 15 leading contemporary artists to create posters for major sites across the London Underground network. Titled “15 for 150, the group of participating artists from across the globe include: Pablo Bronstein, Melissa Gordon, Runa Islam, Idris Khan, Sarah Lucas, Goshka Macuga, Robert Orchardson, Martha Rosler, Nedko Solakov, Frances Stark, Corin Sworn, Wolfgang Tillmans, Gillian Wearing, Lawrence Weiner and Haegue Yang. Artist Mona Hatoum has designed the latest Tube map cover, which will be released in May.
The posters will be displayed at four central London stations: Gloucester Road, Southwark, St. James’s Park and London Bridge. As part of the commission, each artist will create a special signed and numbered edition of prints, which will go on sale in June.
Reflecting on this historic anniversary, Tamsin Dillon, Head of Art on the Underground for London Underground, said: “We are a major commissioner of contemporary art, stretching right back to our founding 150 years ago. We are very proud that such significant artists have agreed to participate in this and are delighted with the variety of their approaches; ranging from the historical references drawn from London Transport Museum to a direct collaboration with one individual Tube traveler.”
The more recent programme of commissions to artists for the Tube map began in 2004 and has included work to date by Richard Long, Paul Noble, Emma Kay, Cornelia Parker, David Shrigley, Jeremy Deller, Liam Gillick, Gary Hume, Mark Wallinger, Pae White, Yinka Shonibare, Tracy Emin and Sarah Morris.