Eduardo Paolozzi’s famous mosaics, which were installed above the escalators at Tottenham Court Road underground station in London, have been saved and will be restored and reassembled at the University of Edinburgh.
The London-based Twentieth Century Society campaign group, which raised concerns about the fate of the murals following the Crossrail redevelopment of the station, says that it is behind the move.
“We are delighted that following an agreement with Transport for London, the university will now acquire the pieces which will be reassembled by students and used for conservation training,” said the organisation in a statement. "We see the murals becoming an important part of the campus; a destination in the city for students and public alike," says Neil Lebeter, the University Art Collections curator. Paolozzi grew up in Leith, Edinburgh.
Meanwhile, London Underground says in a statement that "it has worked closely with the Paolozzi Foundation, historians and design and conservation professionals, to protect and renovate [the mosacis] and find a fitting home for the last pieces".
There was a public outcry earlier this year when Transport for London revealed plans to remove the striking mosaics which adorned a series of decorative arches in the main concourse. The works were an integral part of Paolozzi’s design scheme for the station which was created in 1984.
Around 95% of Paolozzi’s mosaics installed at the station will be retained, says Eleanor Pinfield, head of Art on the Underground. “In certain specific areas affected by works, focused on the Northern and Central line platforms, the original mosaics have been removed and are being replaced to the original designs, with the highest standard of care,” she says. The cost of the conservation is undisclosed.
“Where possible, original tiles have been reused. When new tiles have been required, there has been a meticulous colour matching processes, and with the oversight of the Paolozzi Foundation,” Pinfield says.
The mosaics in linking corridors and sections in the rotunda area have been undisturbed, but are being cleaned, she adds. The large mosaic by the former exit onto Oxford Street will be removed, restored and installed in the lower area of the station by late 2016.
Meanwhile, new commissions by Douglas Gordon, Richard Wright and Daniel Buren will be integrated in to Tottenham Court Road. Buren, who has been commissioned by Art on the Underground, will “create a colourful series of large-scale diamond and circle shapes fixed to the station’s internal glass walls”, says a project statement. Buren’s design will be unveiled late 2016.
Gordon and Wright have been awarded Crossrail art commissions which are partly funded by the City of London Corporation and the property group Almacantar. Gordon will install a video piece in the station’s western ticket hall, which is due for completion by 2018. “The work will draw upon the history of the Soho area, where I spent a lot of time in the 1980s and 1990s,” the artist says.
Wright will create a painting in gold-leaf which will be gilded on the vast ceiling above the eastern ticket hall. The motif will be based on tile patterns found in historic underground stations.
