Earlier this month, Sydney welcomed eight shiny new metro stations – when the doors opened to the latest stretch of Sydney Metro, connecting Chatswood to Sydenham via the CBD. And while the biggest benefit of the new super-fast train system is its speed (with trains reaching a top speed of 100 kilometres per hour, whizzing Sydneysiders under the harbour from North Sydney to Barangaroo in just three minutes), the genuine beauty of the new transport system is a delight we didn’t see coming. With stunning public artwork across many of the new stations, and the stations themselves feats of architectural magnificence, there’s a case for travelling on the new metro line for the aesthetic satisfaction alone.
As the Sydney Metro superhub, it stands to reason that Martin Place station should be home to some of the network’s most spectacular art, and that’s very much the case. These are just some of the art pieces housed in and around Martin Place station:
Continuum: A combined piece comprising a tile mural and a sculpture by Sydney-born artist Mikala Dwyer.
Four Continents: A fascinating heritage art piece made in 1962 by the late Douglas Annand, which was recently acquired for the station.
Shelter of Hollows: A colourful abstract sculpture by Mikala Dwyer.
With art integrated into the design, Martin Place metro station is also home to an immersive light and sound display, with the public walkway connecting the new platforms to the existing station featuring a transporting light and soundscape called 'Mulu Giligu'.
One stop further south at the brand new Gadigal Station, two colourful murals by Melbourne-based artist Callum Morton line the walls in front of the escalators – with their title, The Underneath', echoing the images of metro-esque tunnels that they feature.
At Central Station, the art is very much embedded within the architecture: with the terrazzo-tiled floor displaying a thought-provoking art piece that encourages us to reflect on our shared humanity. Designed by Melbourne-based artist Rose Nolan, 'All Alongside of Each Other' spells out messages across the floor, reminding Sydneysiders to "stay focused when everything moves around you" and "expand the circle of compassion outwards".
While each installation is different, the complex history of Eora/Sydney and its native flora and fauna have inspired many of the pieces. First Nations communities have inspired two particularly striking pieces at Waterloo Station, including a stunning installation of 994 sculptures of the footprints of Gadigal people, made by multidisciplinary artist Nicole Monks in collaboration with knowledge holders (Footprints on Gadigal Nura).
And that’s just a few of them. Ascending the escalators at Barangaroo Station, you’ll find clustered steel and copper art pieces by Khaled Sabsabi adorning the walls, and beneath the harbour at North Sydney’s new Victoria Cross station, a mesmerising video work ('Sundial') by Indigo Hanlee and Michael Thomas Hill dominates the wall above the concourse.
With the Sydney Metro network set to comprise 46 stations once it’s complete, and work on additional lines already well underway, we can expect a lot more on the art front.
Keen to see more beautiful things? These are Sydney's best galleries.
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