David Shrigley and Sadiq Khan launch #LondonIsOpen underground campaign

David Shrigley and London mayor Sadiq Khan have announced a new series of artworks by UK and international artists for the #LondonIsOpen campaign. The works by ten artists will be shown across the city’s tube network, with the first four by Shrigley, Mark Titchner, Tania Bruguera and Gillian Wearing unveiled today.

Works by Jeremy Deller, Hew Locke, Indra Khanna, Sol Calero, Alexandre da Cunha and Bedwyr Williams will be displayed in tube stations from September. The pieces were commissioned as part of Art on the Underground, Transport for London’s contemporary art programme, for the mayor’s #LondonIsOpen campaign.

“We need to send a message loud and clear that whoever you are, and whatever your background London is still open to you,” Shrigley says. “As artists we see every day that our city’s vibrancy and success is intrinsically linked to being open to people and ideas from across the world. This campaign is about what kind of city we want to live in – and I’m proud to be working with the Mayor to get across the message that our capital is a place where everyone is welcome.”

#LondonIsOpen was originally announced with an open call for artwork, which caused a mixed reaction from the creative community. The mayor’s initiative aims to show that London is united and open for business to the world following the EU referendum.