Blackhorse Road station, London Underground - interior ticket hall artworks installed by Art on the Underground (artist Giles Round), February 2016
Blackhorse Road station was opened as part of the first phase of the Victoria line in 1968 and was the only significant surface building constructed as part of this very Underground Underground line. The buildings were very minimalist '60s style, designed by the consultancy the Design Research Unit and due to a number of factors such as 'mid-age', 'out of fashion' and a consequent gentle decline the station has become rather dowdy. One feature of note is the 'Black Horse' sculture by David McFall that sits on mosaics by Trata Drescha. Next to this was, originally, a window but over time this has been panelled over with dreadful architectural effect.
At present our Art on the Underground team are working on a Victoria line based project and have been working with artist Giles Round on what has the working title of 'Design Work Leisure' that is designed to introduce works on stations influenced by several pertinent Vic line factors - DRU, William Morris (just up the road at Walthamstow) and the line colours. One of the first interventions has been at Blackhorse Road and this week a set of striking vitreous enamel panels, designed by Giles and manufactured by one of our enamel sign manufacturers (A J Wells) have been fitted to the exterior. They've made such a difference to this grim setting for the sculpture and, to my mind, it sits well both on its own merit and also how it brings together the colours in both the panel and the building.
In the ticket hall this panel of Giles's tiles have been fitted. The tiles again represent a material so often used in LU stations - ceramic tiles - and these have been hand produced by one of the few UK companies who can still undertake such works and who do make new and replica tiles for us - Craven Dunnill Jackfield in Shropshire. These individual tiles, designed to be used to create such panels, will be fitted to other Victoria line stations as the opportunity arises.
Blackhorse Road station, London Underground - interior ticket hall artworks installed by Art on the Underground (artist Giles Round), February 2016
Blackhorse Road station was opened as part of the first phase of the Victoria line in 1968 and was the only significant surface building constructed as part of this very Underground Underground line. The buildings were very minimalist '60s style, designed by the consultancy the Design Research Unit and due to a number of factors such as 'mid-age', 'out of fashion' and a consequent gentle decline the station has become rather dowdy. One feature of note is the 'Black Horse' sculture by David McFall that sits on mosaics by Trata Drescha. Next to this was, originally, a window but over time this has been panelled over with dreadful architectural effect.
At present our Art on the Underground team are working on a Victoria line based project and have been working with artist Giles Round on what has the working title of 'Design Work Leisure' that is designed to introduce works on stations influenced by several pertinent Vic line factors - DRU, William Morris (just up the road at Walthamstow) and the line colours. One of the first interventions has been at Blackhorse Road and this week a set of striking vitreous enamel panels, designed by Giles and manufactured by one of our enamel sign manufacturers (A J Wells) have been fitted to the exterior. They've made such a difference to this grim setting for the sculpture and, to my mind, it sits well both on its own merit and also how it brings together the colours in both the panel and the building.
In the ticket hall this panel of Giles's tiles have been fitted. The tiles again represent a material so often used in LU stations - ceramic tiles - and these have been hand produced by one of the few UK companies who can still undertake such works and who do make new and replica tiles for us - Craven Dunnill Jackfield in Shropshire. These individual tiles, designed to be used to create such panels, will be fitted to other Victoria line stations as the opportunity arises.