As part of the commemorations to mark the 75th anniversary of Pick’s death, London Transport Museum is hosting a series of talks on the evenings of Wednesday 21 September, Tuesday 18 October and Thursday 10 November. From 7 November 2016 thousands of passengers will also be able to see a new permanent art installation by artists Langlands & Bell at Piccadilly Circus Tube station to celebrate the achievements of the man behind the transport designs that are recognised the world over. As Managing Director of London Underground in the 1920s and the first Chief Executive of London Transport, Frank Pick (1878-1941) had more influence on the look of twentieth-century London than any other individual.
Pick commissioned some of the most recognisable icons of London Underground’s identity; the sans serif Johnston typeface, Charles Holden’s art deco stations and the Tube logo or ‘roundel’ as it has been known since the 1970s. Pick chose famous artists such as surrealist Man Ray to
create striking posters for London Transport. Through his vision and determination the Underground witnessed the birth of commercial art and advertising as well as the emergence of graphic design, way finding systems, corporate identities and integrated brand design.
Take your Pick! Talks and events at London Transport Museum
Guests can attend a series of talks and events to celebrate the creator of one of the world’s most powerful visual identities.
Tickets for the Pick series of talks cost £10 for adults and £8 for concessions. Visitors can buy two tickets for the Pick series, and get the second one half price.
A Legacy for London: Frank Pick’s Design Vision
Wednesday 21 September 2016 - 19.00 to 20.30
From advertising to branding, architecture to integrated design – Pick changed the face of the Underground, and with it the growth and identity of London itself. Join Oliver Green, author, transport historian and Research Fellow at London Transport Museum, who will uncover the extraordinary impact Frank Pick had on the look of modern London.
Oliver will also be signing copies of his book ‘Frank Pick's London: Art, Design and the Modern City’, available to buy in the London Transport Museum shop before the talk.
Bright Lights and Tourist Delights: 100 years of Piccadilly Circus
Tuesday 18 October 2016 - 19.00 to 20.30
Join Jonathan Glancey, architectural critic and writer, as he journeys through the last 100 years of Piccadilly Circus. From the station redevelopment under the vision of Frank Pick in the 1920’s, to the iconic neon advertising and its place in the heart of the bustle and excitement of London’s Theatreland, he will explore the ever changing and developing place that for many epitomises London.
Beauty < Immortality – a Memorial at Piccadilly Circus Station: artists Langlands & Bell in conversation with Robert Elms
Thursday 10 November 2016 - 19.00 to 20.15
Join the BAFTA winning and Turner Prize nominated artists Ben Langlands and Nikki Bell, in conversation with author and broadcaster Robert Elms. They will be discussing Frank Pick, his legacy and the inspiration and thinking behind their memorial artwork. Commissioned by London Transport Museum and Art on the Underground in recognition of Frank Pick’s work for London Underground, the memorial entitled ‘BEAUTY < IMMORTALITY’ will be permanently installed at Piccadilly Circus Station from 7 November 2016.
All talks take place in the Museum’s Cubic Theatre and start at 19.00.
A Logo for London – Museum Depot Open Weekend in West London
24 and 25 September 2016
The Museum Depot in Acton, West London, will throw open its doors for an Open Weekend celebrating the world-famous London Underground logo: the roundel. Visitors will enjoy workshops, arts and crafts, talks, tours and family fun exploring the design and history behind the iconic symbol of London. This year there will be special guided tours of the poster store which will focus on some of the many posters commissioned by Frank Pick.
Tickets cost £10 for adults and £8 for concessions. London Transport Museum friends, children and young people aged 17 and under go free (under 16s must be accompanied by an adult).
Examples of Pick’s legacy are on display in the Museum’s London by Design gallery which celebrates key moments and important milestones in London’s transport design heritage. As well as showcasing Pick, the gallery explores how British art and design have become deeply and inextricably linked with London’s transport network.
The Frank Pick programme is part of London Transport Museum and Transport for London’s Transported by Design season of events and exhibitions that explore good design on the London transport network and its role in the lives of the millions of customers who use it each day. Transported by Design is supported by Exterion Media.
Many pieces commissioned by Frank Pick were voted ‘Transport Design Icons’ in a public vote held at the beginning of the Transported by Design programme.
Download London Transport Museum’s new app for further information about Frank Pick and other design heroes.
