List of public art in the London Borough of Lambeth facts for kids

This is a list of public art you can find in the London Borough of Lambeth. Public art means artworks that are out in the open for everyone to see and enjoy!

The famous South Bank Lion sculpture.

Art in Brixton

Brixton is a lively area with lots of interesting public art.

Statues and Busts

• A bust of Henry Tate was made in 1905 by Thomas Brock. You can find it at Brixton Library. A bust is a sculpture that shows only the head and shoulders of a person.
• At Lambeth Town Hall, there are several sculptures. The clock tower features figures representing Justice, Science, Art, and Literature, created around 1905–1908.
• Also at Lambeth Town Hall, there's a relief sculpture called Youth, made by Denis Dunlop around 1935–1938. A relief sculpture is carved into a flat surface, so it sticks out.
• The Platforms Piece by Kevin Atherton, from 1986, features bronze statues at Brixton railway station. In 2023, another statue called Platforms Piece: The Return (or Joy II) was added by the same artist. It shows one of the original subjects, Joy Battick, at age 62, facing her younger self across the platforms.
• The African and Caribbean War Memorial is an obelisk (a tall, thin, four-sided monument) located in Windrush Square. It was unveiled in 2017 to honor soldiers from African and Caribbean countries.
• A memorial pavilion for Cherry Groce was created in 2021 by Adjaye Associates, also in Windrush Square.

Murals and Other Artworks

• Inside Brixton tube station, on the Victoria line platforms, you'll see a cool pile of bricks tile motif. It was designed by Hans Unger around 1971.
• The Sharpeville Massacre Memorial in Windrush Square, made of stone and metal, remembers an important event from 1987.
• Look up at the roof of the Prince of Wales pub (at Brixton Road and Coldharbour Lane) to spot The Brixton Heron. This metal sculptural weather vane, made by Maggi Hambling in 2010, shows a grey heron holding a fish.
• On Electric Avenue, you can find The Foxes and Cherries, an architectural sculpture from 2010 by Lucy Casson. It's made from Fibreglass and recycled materials.
• Also on Electric Avenue is Brixton Speaks, from 2011, by Will Self and Jack Self.
• A famous David Bowie mural by James Cochran, created in 2013, is on Morley's department store on Tunstall Road.
• Twins by Taslim Martin, from 2016, is a sculpture made of cast iron and stainless steel on Somerleyton Road.
• You can find many Brixton murals in different spots around Brixton town centre.

Art in Clapham

Clapham also has some interesting historical artworks, especially memorials.

• A drinking fountain with a sculpture group stands on Clapham Common, created by August von Kreling in 1884. It's made of bronze and granite.
• The Clapham Common War Memorial is a Celtic cross made of granite, located at Holy Trinity Church. It was put up after 1918 to remember those who served.
• There's another war memorial at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, made of limestone by Giles Gilbert Scott between 1919 and 1920.
• The Clapham Park War Memorial is a Calvary cross made of stone. It was unveiled in 1921 at the Church of the Holy Spirit on Narbonne Avenue.

Art in Kennington

Kennington features several memorials and unique sculptures.

• A decorative column made of terracotta by George Tinworth stands in Kennington Park, dating back to around 1869.
• A war memorial in the form of a memorial cross, made of granite, is located at St Mark's Church. It was unveiled in 1921.
• The Kennington War Memorial is a cenotaph (a monument to someone buried elsewhere) made of stone in Kennington Park. It was designed by Thomas Arthur Lodge and unveiled in 1924.
• A memorial to Len Hutton is a relief sculpture made of brick by Walter Ritchie, found at Hobbs Gate, The Oval. It shows the cricketer scoring his record-breaking 364 runs in 1938.
• The Memorial to Victims of the Kennington Park Air Raid Shelter Tragedy was unveiled in 2006 in Kennington Park. This memorial, made of Caithness stone by Richard Kindersley, remembers a sad event during wartime. It has a quote from a poem by Maya Angelou.
• Touchstone is a granite sculpture by Peter Randall-Page, located at Oval Triangle and created in 2018.

Art in Lambeth

The Lambeth area itself is home to many important statues, especially around St Thomas' Hospital.

• A [[Statue of Edward VI (Cartwright)|statue of Edward VI]] by Thomas Cartwright (after Nathaniel Hanwell) stands outside the main entrance of St Thomas' Hospital. It's made of stone and dates back to 1682.
• A [[Statue of Robert Clayton|statue of Robert Clayton]] by Grinling Gibbons, made of marble in 1702, is in a garden outside St Thomas' Hospital.
• Another [[Statue of Edward VI (Scheemakers)|statue of Edward VI]] by Peter Scheemakers, made of bronze in 1736, is also at St Thomas' Hospital.
• The Mr Doulton in His Studio tympanum relief, made of terracotta by George Tinworth around 1878, is on Southbank House. A tympanum is a sculpted panel above a doorway.
• Revolving Torsion by Naum Gabo is a stainless steel sculpture with a fountain, located in a garden outside St Thomas' Hospital. It was created between 1972 and 1973.
• South of the River is a stainless steel sculpture by Bernard Schottlander, found outside Becket House on Lambeth Palace Road. It was made between 1975 and 1976.
• The Herald Sundial is a relief with a sundial made of stone and bronze by Nathan David in 1984, located at Heralds Place.
• Cross the Divide is a sculptural group made of stainless steel by Rick Kirby, placed outside St Thomas' Hospital in 2000.
• The International Memorial to Seafarers is a bronze sculpture by Michael Sandle, unveiled in 2001 at the International Maritime Organization on Albert Embankment. It honors those who work at sea.
• A Special Operations Executive Memorial bust of Violette Szabo by Karen Newman was unveiled in 2009 on Lambeth Palace Road.
• A [[Statue of Mary Seacole|statue of Mary Seacole]] by Martin Jennings, made of bronze, stands outside St Thomas' Hospital. It was unveiled in 2016 and honors the famous nurse.

Art on the South Bank

The South Bank is a popular area with many modern and historical artworks.

• The famous South Bank Lion is a large statue made of Coade stone by William F. Woodington. It was created in 1837 and stands outside County Hall.
• The Motorcyclist is a statue made of cemented iron by Siegfried Charoux in 1957, located at the Shell Centre.
• The Shell Fountain is a bronze fountain with a sculpture by Franta Belsky, found in the courtyard of the Shell Centre. It was made between 1959 and 1963.
• Zemran is a stainless steel sculpture by William Pye, located on the first floor terrace of the Royal Festival Hall. It was created in 1971.
• A statue of Fryderyk Chopin by Bronisław Kubica, made of bronze, stands at the Royal Festival Hall. It was created in 1975.
• Jubilee Oracle is a bronze sculpture by "Alexander" from 1980, located next to Jubilee Gardens.
• Passage Paving is a concrete sculpture by Richard Harris from 1983, found outside Royal Festival Hall.
• Pend is a Portland stone sculpture by Anne Nicholson, created between 1983 and 1984, outside the Queen Elizabeth Hall.
• Arena is a stone sculpture by John Maine, made between 1983 and 1988, located on a walkway near the Royal National Theatre.
• The International Brigades Memorial is a bronze sculptural group by Ian Walters from 1985, located outside County Hall.
• London Pride is a bronze sculptural group by Frank Dobson, located outside the National Theatre. It's a cast of a work from 1951, placed here in 1987.
• A bust of Nelson Mandela by Ian Walters, made of bronze, is located outside the Royal Festival Hall. It's a replica of an earlier work, placed here in 1988.
• A statue of Laurence Olivier by Angela Conner, made of bronze, stands outside the National Theatre. It was unveiled in 2007 to celebrate Olivier's 100th birthday.

Art in Stockwell

Stockwell has its own collection of public art, including memorials and unique tile designs.

• The Stockwell War Memorial is a Portland stone war memorial by Frank T. Dear, located on Stockwell Road. It was created in 1920.
• At Stockwell tube station, on the Victoria line platforms, you'll see a cool swan tile motif designed by Abram Games around 1971.
• The Tradescant Family Memorial is a sculpture by Hilary Cartmel from 1988, located on St Stephen's Terrace. It honors John Tradescant the Elder and John Tradescant the Younger, who were famous gardeners and collectors.
• The Stockwell Memorial Mural by Brian Barnes and Myra Harris, made with household paint in 2001, is in Stockwell Memorial Gardens.
• The Bronze Woman is a bronze statue by Aleix Barbat (after Ian Walters) from 2008, also in Stockwell Memorial Gardens.
• A memorial to Jean Charles de Menezes is a mosaic by Mary Edwards, placed outside Stockwell tube station in 2010.

Art in Streatham

Streatham features historical fountains and war memorials.

• The Dyce Drinking Fountain is a drinking fountain made of Portland stone, red sandstone, and marble by William Dyce. It was created in 1862 and stands on Streatham Green.
• The Streatham War Memorial is a bronze statue by Albert Toft, located in Memorial Gardens, Streatham Common North. It was unveiled in 1922.
• A war memorial in the form of a Calvary cross, made of bronze, wood, and stone, is at St Peter's Church on Leigham Court Road. It was unveiled in 1922.
• The Streatham Civilians War Memorial is a war memorial pillar made of Kilkenny limestone by Ekkehard Altenburger. It was unveiled in 2006 in Memorial Gardens, Streatham Common North, and has a quote: "GRIEF HAS NO BOUNDARIES".

Art in Vauxhall

Vauxhall has sculptures that often reflect local history and industries.

• On Vauxhall Bridge, you can see statues representing Agriculture, Engineering, and Pottery, created by F. W. Pomeroy in 1907. These show important industries of the time.
• Following the Leader is a relief sculpture by Peter Laszlo Peri from 1949, made of colored concrete. It's a memorial to children killed during the Blitz (wartime bombings) and is located at Darley House, Vauxhall Gardens Estate.
• Boys Playing Football is another colored concrete relief by Peter Laszlo Peri, made between 1951 and 1952, at Wareham House, South Lambeth Estate.
• Mother and Children Playing is also a colored concrete relief by Peter Laszlo Peri from 1951–1952, found at Horton House, South Lambeth Estate.
• At Vauxhall tube station, on the Victoria line platforms, you'll find a cool Vauxhall Gardens tile motif designed by George Smith around 1971.
• A bust of Basaveshwara by Sridhar Murthy, made of bronze, was unveiled in 2015 on Albert Embankment. Basaveshwara was an important philosopher and social reformer from India.
• Underline is a series of tile murals by Giles Round and Design Work Leisure at Vauxhall tube station.

Art in Waterloo

Waterloo is home to several significant war memorials and artistic mosaics.

• A war memorial in the form of a crucifix, made of bronze and wood, is located at St John's Church. It was created in 1919.
• The Victory Arch is a war memorial made of Portland stone at the entrance of Waterloo station. It was opened in 1922 and serves as the London and South Western Railway War Memorial.
• The Sunbathers is a sculpture by Peter Laszlo Peri, originally made in 1951 for the Festival of Britain. It was thought to be lost but was rediscovered and displayed at Waterloo station in 2020.
• A memorial to Eva Hubback is a stone relief by David Rowles-Chapman from 1963, located at Morley College.
• Blake's Lambeth is a series of 70 mosaics by Southbank Mosaics, based on the work of artist William Blake. These mosaics, created between 2005 and 2015, are in tunnels alongside Archbishop's Park, near Waterloo station. Blake lived in Lambeth for many years.
• Mosaic portraits of important women like Emma Cons, Violette Szabo, Mary Seacole, and others are displayed at Morley College. These mosaics were created by Southbank Mosaics and unveiled in 2012.
• The Battle of Waterloo Memorial is a war memorial by Jason Brooks, unveiled in 2015 at Waterloo station. It's a bronze plaque based on the design of the Waterloo Medal.
• The National Windrush Monument is a bronze sculptural group by Basil Watson, unveiled in 2022 at Waterloo station. It shows a family in their best clothes standing on suitcases, celebrating the Windrush generation.

Art in West Norwood

West Norwood has its own important war memorial.

• The West Norwood War Memorial is a stone memorial cross located at St Luke's Church on Knight's Hill. It was put up after 1918.

See also

• National Covid Memorial Wall
• Skylon (Festival of Britain)