'15 for 150': leading artists mark 150 years of the London Underground

When you're talking about the world's oldest underground network, every birthday is a big one. But when it turns 150, a serious celebration is in order.
Earlier this year the London Underground launched a commemorative Barber Osgerby-designed £2 coin and a series of artworks by artist Mark Wallinger, now displayed in all 270 stations citywide.
Now, as part of the festivities, and in keeping with the 13-year strong Art on the Underground initiative, Transport for London has commissioned visual tributes from 15 international artists. The 15 works - one for each decade of the Tube's existence - vary wildly, though each is a contemporary take on the London institution.
One of the most poignant is Corin Sworn's 'Waiting for a Train', for which the artist researched the Underground's photography archives to represent passengers of different ages and eras in recurring poses. Their silhouettes take on the colours of the network lines and patterns from the Tube moquettes.
These days London's Tube stations double as public art galleries (it's been noted that with more than a billion customers passing through them each year, the network may very well be the largest art gallery in the world). 'The Tube is a rich environment for artists,' says Justine Simons, head of cultural policy for the Mayor of London's office and member of the Art on the Underground panel, 'and these incredible artists have come to the challenge with an openness and a curiosity which has resulted into fantastic projects.'
Full sets of the posters can be admired at Gloucester Road, St James's Park, Southwark and London Bridge stations. Proceeds from the limited-edition prints, available to purchase through Transport for London, will go on to support future Art on the Underground initiatives.
'Freischwimmer TfL 150', by Wolfgang Tillmans, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
'UNDER GROUND', by Lawrence Weiner, 2013.Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
'Total Stranger', by Gillian Wearing, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
'NUD', by Sarah Lucas, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
'Over and Over and Over', by Idris Khan, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
'Go Underground', by Martha Rosler, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
'Father and Son', by Nedko Solakov, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
'Convex Flesh and Concave Stone in Tune', by Haegue Yang, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
'Reading Construction', by Melissa Gordon, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
'Fountainhead', by Robert Orchardson, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
'I came by Tube', by Goshka Macuga, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
'Tube Map 1', by Runa Islam, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. Courtesy of the artist
'Triumphal arch in honour of Transport for London', by Pablo Bronstein, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
'A hundred years from now, you too could have nothing!', by Frances Stark, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.
-
Cambridge Audio's new earbuds offer premium performance without denting your pocket
The Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 earbuds demonstrate just how far affordable audio tech has come in the last decade
-
A European-style café opens next to London’s Saatchi Gallery
Designed by Dion & Arles, Cafe Linea serves fresh pâtisseries, global dishes and sparkling wines in a stunning Grade II-listed setting
-
Home is where Beethoven Market is – a joyful Italian restaurant in LA’s Mar Vista
In Mar Vista, a historic space is reborn as a modern-day gathering spot, an Italian-infused restaurant where rotisserie chicken, handmade pasta and tableside tiramisu welcome you like family
-
A bespoke 40m mixed-media dragon is the centrepiece of Glastonbury’s new chill-out area
New for 2025 is Dragon's Tail – a space to offer some calm within Glastonbury’s late-night area with artwork by Edgar Phillips at its heart
-
Emerging artist Kasia Wozniak’s traditional photography techniques make for ethereal images
Wozniak’s photographs, taken with a 19th-century Gandolfi camera, are currently on show at Incubator, London
-
Vincent Van Gogh and Anselm Kiefer are in rich and intimate dialogue at the Royal Academy of Arts
German artist Anselm Kiefer has paid tribute to Van Gogh throughout his career. When their work is viewed together, a rich relationship is revealed
-
Alice Adams, Louise Bourgeois, and Eva Hesse delve into art’s ‘uckiness’ at The Courtauld
New exhibition ‘Abstract Erotic’ (until 14 September 2025) sees artists experiment with the grotesque
-
Get lost in Megan Rooney’s abstract, emotional paintings
The artist finds worlds in yellow and blue at Thaddaeus Ropac London
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week
It was a jam-packed week for the Wallpaper* staff, entailing furniture, tech and music launches and lots of good food – from afternoon tea to omakase
-
London calling! Artists celebrate the city at Saatchi Yates
London has long been an inspiration for both superstar artists and newer talent. Saatchi Yates gathers some of the best
-
Alexandra Metcalf creates an unsettling Victorian world in London
Alexandra Metcalf turns The Perimeter into a alternate world in exhibition, 'Gaaaaaaasp'