London Tube exhibition has paintings of railway ghosts
The new show at Guildhall Art Gallery invites visitors to linger in the underground world, pairing oil canvases with an ambient soundtrack of train noises.
Scottish‑born painter Jock McFadyen brings his long‑running Underground series to life, rendering stations and surrounding streets with a gritty realism that reveals both grime and unexpected beauty. His palette captures the ghostly haze of Bethnal Green, the torn‑away posters of Bank, and the storm‑clouds over Three Colts Lane.
The sound component is the work of former Pogues member Jem Finer, who recorded and manipulated field recordings from various lines, creating a haunting, stretched mix that runs through the gallery as the paintings hang.
McFadyen’s background in industrial Glasgow informs the work’s focus on machinery and decay, while his London years add a sense of urban observation. He even snuck onto pre‑Olympic construction sites to capture the changing landscape, translating those experiences onto canvas.
The exhibition is less a documentary and more an invitation to look again at a space we usually rush through. By treating the Tube as a “pleasure boat” and highlighting its spectral presence, the show turns everyday commute into a contemplative visual and auditory experience.