Larger than life art displays are dressing up Stratford and Wembley Park Tube stations as part of the Back the Bid campaign supporting London’s 2012 Olympic Bid. The pieces will be in situ until early July, when the International Olympic Committee makes its final decision.
For Olympic Draw (Stratford) local school children have created the giant illustrations over the past few months, which capture the excitement and magic of the Olympic spirit.
Platform for Art’s Liz O’Sullivan said: “This project has united school children and the community to Back the Bid. Londoners are passionate about hosting the 2012 Olympics and that enthusiasm is now on display, to be enjoyed by thousands of Tube passengers each day.”
Wembley Park station’s hoardings have become a work of art featuring the Olympic rings and abstract images. Students from Kingsley High School in Harrow were inspired by swimmer David Hockney and equestrian George Stubbs.
Stratford station features a striking display of black and white drawings along the back walkway of windows between the Jubilee line and Central line platforms, with the whole exhibition spanning 28 metres in length.
The Stratford display combines the hard work of 10 Newham Secondary Schools who collaborated on the designs, coordinated by Newham Council in conjunction with the Royal Academy of Arts.
Students participated in workshops with Olympic athletes and sketched them in athletic poses and movements that have made the drawings life-like and given the students an insight into the drive and determination involved in competing in the Olympics.
The artworks are part of the London Underground Platform for Art’s Creative Communities project, which aims to involve local communities in brightening up their local tube station
