John Maine artwork for Green Park underground station

Image copyright Daisy Hutchison

I'm a bit late with this one as it was unveiled last October but thought it was still worth adding to the blog.


Royal Academician John Maine was commissioned by Art on the Underground to develop Sea Strata, a permanent work integrated into the walls and flooring of the new station buildings above ground.

Image copyright Daisy Hutchison

There are two related elements of the artwork: the Portland stone cladding of the station buildings with related walls and coping; and the granite pavement, which has been incised with a sequence of spirals. 

Image copyright Daisy Hutchison

According to Art on the Underground, the work is 'grounded in the natural world, reflecting the location between the urban character of Piccadilly and the more rural Green Park beyond.' 


The artist said:
'I wanted to the use the Portland stone of the walls to explore the natural composition of the rock and to draw out the internal structure of the material, revealing the fossil remains of marine creatures from 150 million years ago. I imagined the four small buildings as outcrops with strata linking across from one to another. By rounding the corners of the buildings, they take on a more solid feel, and the various bands wrapping around the walls emphasize the 
natural layers, which you would find in a Portland quarry.'

Image copyright Daisy Hutchison

To find out more, visit: http://art.tfl.gov.uk/projects/detail/3948/