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Paolozzi mosaic takes tube station lift down to platform level Paolozzi mosaic takes tube station lift down to platform level
(about 3 hours later)
At the old exit from Tottenham Court Road tube station in central London, Sir Eduardo Paolozzi’s Church Window mosaic has gone. It has been peeled off the wall and lowered down a lift shaft to begin a new life at platform level.At the old exit from Tottenham Court Road tube station in central London, Sir Eduardo Paolozzi’s Church Window mosaic has gone. It has been peeled off the wall and lowered down a lift shaft to begin a new life at platform level.
The move was one of the final and trickiest jobs on what is perhaps the largest public art conservation projects of recent times – restoring and, where necessary, relocating Paolozzi’s 1,000 square metres of mosaics, originally installed in the 1980s, while the station itself has a £400m redevelopment. The move was one of the final and trickiest jobs on what is perhaps one of the largest public art conservation projects of recent times – restoring and, where necessary, relocating Paolozzi’s 1,000 square metres of mosaics, originally installed in the 1980s, while the station itself has a £400m redevelopment.
Planning began seven years ago and Mike Ashworth, London Underground’s design and heritage manager, said the intention was always to keep as many of the mosaics as possible. But LU was lambasted last year for removing the popular and highly visible mosaics over arches above the escalators as part of the renovation.Planning began seven years ago and Mike Ashworth, London Underground’s design and heritage manager, said the intention was always to keep as many of the mosaics as possible. But LU was lambasted last year for removing the popular and highly visible mosaics over arches above the escalators as part of the renovation.
It has not been a quiet corner of a 15th century cathedral. This has been very demanding workIt has not been a quiet corner of a 15th century cathedral. This has been very demanding work
“We truly agonised over those,” said Ashworth. “Any traditional methodology for removing those, with a conservation hat on, was not possible.” Ashworth said it was all about context and the nature of the work meant the context was being removed. The arches do not exist and the ticket hall itself is six times bigger and a different shape.“We truly agonised over those,” said Ashworth. “Any traditional methodology for removing those, with a conservation hat on, was not possible.” Ashworth said it was all about context and the nature of the work meant the context was being removed. The arches do not exist and the ticket hall itself is six times bigger and a different shape.
“It was going to be impossible to recolate those particular mosaics on site because of the nature of the reconstruction. I’ve always felt they would not sit comfortably in the new environment even if we had been physically able to relocate them. We put an awful lot of thought into it. It was not a decision that was taken lightly.”“It was going to be impossible to recolate those particular mosaics on site because of the nature of the reconstruction. I’ve always felt they would not sit comfortably in the new environment even if we had been physically able to relocate them. We put an awful lot of thought into it. It was not a decision that was taken lightly.”
The arches mosaics will instead be restored and reconstructed in Paolozzi’s native city of Edinburgh in a project led by the city’s college of art. That means around 95% of the original mosaics will remain. The arches mosaics will instead be restored and reconstructed in Paolozzi’s native city of Edinburgh in a project led by the city’s college of art. That means about 95% of the original mosaics will remain.
The mosaics are not universally liked by Londoners, or even within London Underground. “They are very Marmite,” said Ashworth. “We did have quite a fierce debate in the company. I had some managers and directors who would have cheerfully seen them removed. But like them or not, they are such an inherent part of this station and our brand.”The mosaics are not universally liked by Londoners, or even within London Underground. “They are very Marmite,” said Ashworth. “We did have quite a fierce debate in the company. I had some managers and directors who would have cheerfully seen them removed. But like them or not, they are such an inherent part of this station and our brand.”
As walls are knocked down, workers have been painstakingly removing the tiles, cleaning and grading them and put them back on walls, often next to new glass tiles from Italy: it seems that many people passed their time waiting for a train by trying to remove the more brightly coloured ones. As walls are knocked down, workers have been painstakingly removing the tiles, cleaning and grading them and putting them back on walls, often next to new glass tiles from Italy: it seems that many people passed their time waiting for a train by trying to remove the more brightly coloured ones.
Related: Call to save 20th century public art after Paolozzi mosaic is removedRelated: Call to save 20th century public art after Paolozzi mosaic is removed
“They have had 30 years of being in extremely aggressive environment,” said Ashworth. “People have been very good at picking the tiles off as souvenirs and they became easier and easier to get off.” “They have had 30 years of being in an extremely aggressive environment,” said Ashworth. “People have been very good at picking the tiles off as souvenirs and they became easier and easier to get off.”
Today, tube passengers enter Tottenham Court Road through a newbackground by the French artist Daniel Buren. The clean, geometric, black-and-white patterns are in contrast to Paolozzi’s 1980s explosion of colour. On the platforms, the bulk of the Paolozzi restoration is complete; and with stronger glue and better cameras, LU is confident they will stick around for a good deal longer this time.Today, tube passengers enter Tottenham Court Road through a newbackground by the French artist Daniel Buren. The clean, geometric, black-and-white patterns are in contrast to Paolozzi’s 1980s explosion of colour. On the platforms, the bulk of the Paolozzi restoration is complete; and with stronger glue and better cameras, LU is confident they will stick around for a good deal longer this time.
“It is probably one the UK’s largest art conservation projects of the last decade,” said Ashworth. There has been a “phenomenal” amount of detailed work in what is, by any standards, a huge and difficult building site. “It is probably one of the UK’s largest art conservation projects of the last decade,” said Ashworth. There has been a “phenomenal” amount of detailed work in what is, by any standards, a huge and difficult building site.
“It has not been a quiet corner of a 15th century cathedral. This has been a very demanding piece of work in extremely challenging constricted environment. It has been a hell of an achievement.” “It has not been a quiet corner of a 15th century cathedral. This has been a very demanding piece of work in an extremely challenging constricted environment. It has been a hell of an achievement.”
Eleanor Pinfield, head of Art on the Underground, said: “They were looking in a slightly sorry state and now it is about the joy of looking at them... they look beautiful.” Eleanor Pinfield, the head of Art on the Underground, said: “They were looking in a slightly sorry state and now it is about the joy of looking at them ... they look beautiful.”