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''Labyrinth'' is a 2013 artwork by the British artist 
As part of the 150th anniversary celebrations, Art on the Underground worked with the
Art on the Underground – ''Labyrinth''
''Labyrinth'' is a 2013 artwork by the British artist Mark Wallinger
Mark Wallinger (born 25 May 1959) is an English artist. Having previously been nominated for the Turner Prize in 1995, he won in 2007 for his installation '' State Britain''. His work ''Ecce Homo'' (1999–2000) was the first piece to occupy th ...
which marks the 150th anniversary of the London Underground
The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or as the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent home counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England.
The Undergro ...
.
The artwork consisted of 270 enamel plaques of unique unicursal labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth () is an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the h ...
designs, one for every station on the Underground at the time of the installation in 2013. Although the individual shape of each labyrinth is unique, the design language of the labyrinths is identical (black on a white square of vitreous enamel, with a red cross). Each is numbered according to its order in the route taken by the contestants in the 2009 ''Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...
'' Tube Challenge. Each labyrinth is located in a publicly accessible part of the station, such as a ticket hall, platforms or waiting room.
The permanent artwork was commissioned by Art on the Underground
Art on the Underground, previously called ''Platform for Art'', is Transport for London's (TfL) contemporary public art programme. It commissions permanent and temporary artworks for London Underground, as well as commissioning artists to create ...
, the contemporary art programme of Transport for London
Transport for London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for most of the transport network in London, United Kingdom.
TfL is the successor organization of the London Passenger Transport Board, which was established in 1933, and His ...
(TfL), as part of the 150th anniversary of London Underground. The artworks were manufactured by the same company that builds London Underground's signage. The first works were unveiled at stations in February 2013, with all 270 installed by the end of 2013.
As part of the 150th anniversary celebrations, Art on the Underground worked with the Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public university, public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City, London, White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design uni ...
and Mark Wallinger to create artistic workshops and events for young people, TfL staff and passengers – based around the Labyrinths.
In October 2014, Art/Books published ''Labyrinth: A Journey Through London's Underground by Mark Wallinger'', a comprehensive photographic book of all 270 labyrinth designs in situ in the Underground stations.
Two new labyrinths were unveiled by Wallinger on 18 October 2023 at Battersea Power Station
Battersea Power Station is a decommissioned coal-fired power station located on the south bank of the River Thames in Nine Elms, Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It was built by the London Power Company (LPC) to the design of ...
and Nine Elms
Nine Elms is an area of south-west London, England, within the London Borough of Wandsworth, with some parts (including the Nine Elms tube station, tube station) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Lambeth. It lies on the River Thame ...
stations, which had opened in 2021, increasing the total number of labyrinths to 272. The installation marked the 10th anniversary of the artwork and 160 years of the Tube.
Bibliography
*External links
Art on the Underground – ''Labyrinth''
Transport for London
Transport for London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for most of the transport network in London, United Kingdom.
TfL is the successor organization of the London Passenger Transport Board, which was established in 1933, and His ...
References
2013 in art 2013 works Labyrinths London Underground Works in vitreous enamel {{art-stub