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‘Avalanche’ and ‘Spectre’ by Simon Periton

British artist Simon Periton’s locally inspired artworks will adorn the new Farringdon station ticket halls, which are inspired by the nearby Hatton Garden diamond district.  

Periton’s first artwork ‘Avalanche’ features a sequence of enormous gems that appear to tumble down along the interior walls of the station’s western ticket hall, located at Cowcross Street. The intricate features of each gem have been created by digitally printing in champagne coloured ceramic ink onto back-lit glass panels, subtly highlighted with vivid pinks, greens and yellows. The artwork follows Periton’s long established practice of creating delicate paper-cut outs.

“The work will be experienced in glimpses and that’s where a public artwork is different to putting a piece in a gallery… it will be observed for smaller amounts of time but more regularly, so it’s completely different viewing experience.”
- Simon Periton

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Periton’s second artwork titled ‘Spectre’ and installed at the eastern Barbican entrance to the station is also rooted in the area’s history. An elaborate curvaceous pattern has been printed in pale grey onto the exterior glazing that runs around three sides of the building, emulating etched glass. Not only does the design reflect the elaborate Victorian metalwork of the local Smithfield Market, it also references items sold traditionally in the market.

“Visually the content of the piece was exactly what I was after in terms of the organic feel for the building but also its timescale was almost exactly the same as when Smithfield was built, so it seemed to be the perfect coming-together of something organic but also structured by mankind.”
- Simon Periton

Sponsor: Goldman Sachs International & City of London Corporation

Gallery partner: Sadie Coles HQ