Discovering street art in London

When you wander through the capital, there’s art around every corner

Dick Whittington thought the streets of London were paved with gold. If you rent or own a property in London, unfortunately you know that isn’t true. However, the city’s streets are lined with sculptures just waiting to be discovered. Here are a few examples to kick off your exploration

Notting Hill

There is not much walking involved to see the street art of Notting Hill. Just outside the underground station is the Carnival Elephant by Nadim Karam. Look left above the Waterstone’s to see two more figures by Karam, a wild cat and a travelling carnival goer.

Then on your right is a sculpture that could be mistaken for an over-sized TV aerial, but it is in fact a wind sculpture called The Climber by Peter Logan, made from climbing equipment including ropes, pitons and alpenstock. It represents the viewer’s hopes and dreams at they climb through life’s difficulties.

Finally journey north to see the Cock and Bottle pub rat. No they aren’t breaking any health codes, but instead have their own Banksy art on their outside wall. Seeing a Banksy piece is a right of passage for anyone with a flat or house in London and so is worth the 10-minute walk. The pub itself is a great place to grab a drink and boasts being a favourite of both Sienna Miller and Banksy himself.

Pimlico

Start this outdoor art trail at Pimlico station where you’ll be able to see a unique ventilation shaft. Designed by Eduardo Paolozzi (1982) it may not be the prettiest piece, but with a body covered in gears, cogs, insects and more, it successfully captures the feel of industry. You won’t see anything like it at any other station.

Stroll towards Vauxhall Bridge to see eight different allegorical statues. Fredrick Pomeroy’s Agriculture, Architecture, Pottery, and Engineering all face upstream. While on the opposite side, Alfred Drury’s Science, Fine Arts, Education, and Local Government face downstream.

On the Pimlico side of the river is a bronze sculpture by Henry Moore. Locking Piece was created after Moore was playing with pebbles in a nearby gravel pit.

Also here is a sculpture of a graceful dancer in mid-leap. Henry Mooreis a bronze cast sculpture by Enzo Plazzotta that shows dancer David Wall jump to the river. If you get close you can see how the dancer’s ribbon in fact holds the statue up.

South Kensington

The opportunity to walk around Hyde Park is one of the advantages of having a SW7 postcode. For this cultural journey, start at the Prince Albert Memorial which was commissioned by Queen Victoria to remember her late husband. Sitting opposite the Royal Albert Hall, the gilt bronze Prince looks south, surrounded by two symbolic groups of statues representing the Victorian industries and sciences and four continents.

After stopping off for a coffee in the Royal Albert Hall café, continue east towards a treasure trove of art in Knightsbridge. If you go through Hyde Park near the Diana Memorial Fountain is Simon Gudgeon’s Isis, the Egyptian goddess of nature.

Outside One Hyde Park, one of the most expensive addresses in the world, there are several pieces you may want to have a look at. Rush of Green by Jacob Epstein shows a family and their dog rushing towards Hyde Park, followed by Pan the god of the wild.

There’s also another Gudgeon piece here called Search for Enlightenment. The artist’s inspiration came when he was on an African mountain and realised ‘the narrowness of consciousness, the vastness of time and the transience of humanity’. It’s up to you to decide what you think the holes in the figures’ heads represent.

Within the lobby of One Hyde Park is Gudgeon’s Dancing with Cranes. In many cultures cranes represent joy, love, and life, and to the artist they also represent the harmony between man and nature.