High Street Kensington Station – Original Painting
About the Image
Muddling my Art Styles
The styling of the London Underground is synonymous with Art Deco, in my head and yet it was built too early. It’s sister Kensington Station, on the Metropolitan line, is more obviously Art Nouveau, and, although this frontage was built pre Art Deco, it hints at what’s to come. The clean lines, geometry, simplicity of the structure and simplified design have stood the test of time. So much of the underground railway system design leans heavily on it.
The station front still looks good today, if a little grubby, but it’s hard to keep places clean when they’re so heavily used.
The power of simplicity in art.
The simplicity of the structure and design allowed me free reign to paint as I pleased; to experiment with colour and painting techniques. With complex buildings, the textures become lost in unnecessary details, but with brutally straight lines, sharp angles and simple curves, the textures are framed like mini paintings with white but hung really close together. Even the clock forms part of the structural style. A decoration with functionality.
The semi-circular fan light serves as a dark mirror, reflecting what it sees. Or maybe it offers a glimpse into a world beyond the building opposite?
Mysterious numbers
A suggestion of numbers 22 or 23 perhaps, I wonder which I can find out. But sometimes mystery is fun. That’s why conspiracy theories and who done it novels are so popular. I associate aunt nouveau with Agatha Christie’s Poirot novels. I imagine Monsieur Poirot talking to Captain Hastings as they are walk as they walk along the street by the station. I can’t imagine he would use the underground, though, unless a crime occurred within and then he would likely wrinkle his nose at having to use such space where so many have travelled en masse.
Public Transport, boon or bane?
Public transport is a great leveller of society and, in a place like London, walking or taking the underground are often the faster modes of transport. Even if the latter is a little crowded. It’s all very well having a nice car, but if you need to be somewhere, it’s better to arrive on time. Being stuck in gridlock traffic and arriving late is my definition of hell. What about you is the underground preferable or would you rather drive? What other form of transport would you choose?
Further research reveals there are reflected letters, not numbers – “ecco” a case where further knowledge does not necessarily make things clearer, unless you know the brand.
Creation: Masking fluid is painted onto watercolour paper to create an image. This is covered with a watercolour wash and covered with clingfilm. The picture is further developed using acrylic inks once the film is removed. The masking is removed after several layers are added and allowed to dry. Revealing the final picture.
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