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

'15 for 150': leading artists mark 150 years of the London Underground
Transport for London has unveiled '15 for 150', a new series of artworks commemorating the London Underground's 150th anniversary. Pictured: 'Waiting for a Train', by Corin Sworn, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
(Image credit: the artist)
By Rosa Bertoli
last updated

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 (opens in new tab)-designed £2 coin and a series of artworks by artist Mark Wallinger (opens in new tab), 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 (opens in new tab) 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 (opens in new tab)'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 (opens in new tab)'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 (opens in new tab) through Transport for London, will go on to support future Art on the Underground initiatives.

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

'Freischwimmer TfL 150', by Wolfgang Tillmans, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. 

(Image credit: the artist)

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

'UNDER GROUND', by Lawrence Weiner, 2013.Commissioned by Art on the Underground. 

(Image credit: the artist)

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

'Total Stranger', by Gillian Wearing, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. 

(Image credit: the artist)

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

'NUD', by Sarah Lucas, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. 

(Image credit: the artist)

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

'Over and Over and Over', by Idris Khan, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. 

(Image credit: the artist)

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

'Go Underground', by Martha Rosler, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. 

(Image credit: the artist)

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

'Father and Son', by Nedko Solakov, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. 

(Image credit: the artist)

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

'Convex Flesh and Concave Stone in Tune', by Haegue Yang, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. 

(Image credit: Haegue Yang)

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

'Reading Construction', by Melissa Gordon, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. 

(Image credit: the artist)

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

'Fountainhead', by Robert Orchardson, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. 

(Image credit: the artist)

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

'I came by Tube', by Goshka Macuga, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. 

(Image credit: the artist)

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

'Tube Map 1', by Runa Islam, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. Courtesy of the artist

(Image credit: TBC )

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

'Triumphal arch in honour of Transport for London', by Pablo Bronstein, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. 

(Image credit: the artist)

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

'A hundred years from now, you too could have nothing!', by Frances Stark, 2013. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. 

(Image credit: the artist)
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London UK TFL
Rosa Bertoli

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.

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