As part of the interior design of the new Tyne and Wear Metro trains – currently being built in Switzerland by Stadler – there will be specially commissioned artwork on the end walls. Ahead of the trains entering service, members of the public will get the chance to see the new artwork in a special pop-up exhibition being staged at the NCA gallery in High Bridge, Newcastle between 13th and 15th October.
The four new images were selected following a unique collaboration between Nexus and Stadler with funding through Arts Council England. So far only a small detail of the artwork has been released so this exhibition will be the first chance to see them in all their glory.
Huw Lewis, Nexus Customer Services Director, said: “Our customers have helped shaped the design of Metro’s new fleet down to the smallest detail and one thing people asked for was art and imagery to be incorporated into the final carriages. We held an international competition asking artists to create original floor-to-ceiling works capturing what it means to live in North East England today. The result has been four vibrant and contrasting images which will become a treasured part of the journey for millions of people in the years to come. Nexus has a long tradition in commissioning public and community art across our stations, but this is the first time in Metro’s 42-year history we have commissioned major works onto trains, and we believe it is the first project of its kind in the world. We are very pleased to be working with NCA Gallery to stage a pop-up show to reveal these fantastic works for just a few days, before people see the finished works in their true home on board trains next year.”
The four artists whose work will be seen are:
- Sofia Barton – exploring the hidden histories and diverse communities which make northeast England a vibrant and inclusive place to live
- Nocciola the Drawer – celebrates the “wild sea women” who daily plunge into the seas along the coast
- Bryony Simcox – an intricate collage from family snaps and treasured photos submitted by Metro passengers
- Sara Gibbeson – has turned closely-observed line drawings of people and places into giant canvas of intriguing overlapping images
Metro’s new train artwork – the Big Reveal is a free exhibition open between 1000 and 2000 from Thursday 13th October until Saturday 15th October at NCA gallery, 31-39 High Bridge, Newcastle, NE1 1EW