In 2010, Futurecity was appointed to develop a visionary art commissioning strategy for Crossrail, originally described as the Culture Line. The proposal set out a permanent, world-class, line-wide art programme across Crossrail’s seven new central and east London Elizabeth line stations.
Drawing on extensive experience in large-scale art, architecture and infrastructure projects, Futurecity proposed a series of site-specific artworks by some of the world’s most renowned artists, representing one of the largest collaborative art commissioning processes in a generation. The strategy was also designed to support the search for project funding and partnerships.
To raise the profile of this ambitious initiative, Futurecity identified seven of London’s leading international contemporary art galleries - one for each station - to work with Crossrail and the selected artists.
The result was a remarkable public art programme comprising ten integrated artworks by nine artists, reflecting the ambition of London’s newest railway and the communities it serves. Managed by The Crossrail Art Foundation, the programme was funded through private sponsorships matched by the City of London Corporation.
Paddington – US artist Spencer Finch created A Cloud Index, a hand-drawn cloudscape printed across a 120-metre glazed canopy, co-funded by Heathrow and the City of London Corporation.
Bond Street – British artist Darren Almond designed an abstract work integrated into the spaces above and around the western ticket hall escalators, supported by Selfridges and the City of London Corporation.
Tottenham Court Road – Turner Prize winners Richard Wright and Douglas Gordon produced distinct artworks for the eastern and western ticket halls, lead-funded by Almacantar and the City of London Corporation with additional support from Derwent London.
Farringdon – British artist Simon Periton created locally inspired designs for both ticket halls at the centre of the Elizabeth line route, co-funded by Goldman Sachs and the City of London Corporation.
Liverpool Street – Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama and British sculptor Conrad Shawcross each produced new works for the station’s two ticket halls, supported by British Land, Landsec and the City of London Corporation.
Canary Wharf – Internationally renowned artist Michal Rovner developed a large-scale digital installation, co-funded by Canary Wharf Group and the City of London Corporation.
Whitechapel – Inspired by the diversity of the local community, Chantal Joffe created large-scale collages for the new east London station platforms.
