http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20130621-going-underground
The unique relationship between modern art and the Tube
As a new work celebrates 150 years of the London Underground, the Culture Show uncovers the unique history of art on the Tube.
Labyrinth, a special art work by Turner Prize winner Mark Wallinger, has been commissioned to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the London Underground. And while this might seem unusual, art, design and architecture have in fact played a more integral part to the story of the Tube than many people realise.
It was the work of Frank Pick, head of the London Underground in the 1910s and ‘20s that introduced the distinctive design aesthetic that makes the Underground a globally recognised brand today.
The roundel, the modern typeface and the beautifully designed new stations were all created under Pick’s watch. And with striking, modern and beautiful Tube posters, he brought modern art to the public, a tradition which continues to this day.
