Art Underground

London’s art scene has gone quite literally underground thanks to three not-so-new yet thriving initiatives from Transport for London (TfL) and its sponsors. Platform For Art, Poems on the Underground and licensed busking have all added colour and entertainment to the lives of commuters facing the daily grind and have music and arts junkies travelling to tube stations to see exhibitions and artists as if they were off to the Tate or the Brixton Academy. Yet, while “trains & art” might not go together as naturally as “severe delays & the northern line”, the Underground has been a long-standing pioneer of art and design since 1908 when Frank Pick took responsibility for the then Underground Group’s publicity. He co-ordinated their graphic identity (the famous ‘UNDERGROUND’ lettering and roundel logo that is still around today) and launched a poster campaign commissioning artists and newcomers such as Man Ray, Edward McKnight Kauffer and Graham Sutherland throughout the 1920s and 30s. Harry Beck’s world famous tube map also makes it into the archives of “design classics” and adds to London Transport’s arts reputation.