The artworks have now been revealed and will also be able to be seen at a three-day pop-up event at Newcastle Contemporary Art.

The four artworks mark the first ever to be commissioned for the interiors of Tyne and Wear Metro‘s new trains and will be on permanent display across the fleet of 46 trains which are set to begin service during 2023.

It is thought that the contemporary pieces will become some of the most viewed and well-known in the country by Metro’s 35 million customers each year.

The artworks are floor-to-ceiling pieces and will embellish the internal end walls of each carriage as follows:

• Macro-Micro by Bryony Simcox.  This large-scale collage is built up using hand-cut paper pieces, using images sent by local people in answer to the question “what makes this place glow? The artwork is a contrast to the traditional glossy imagery used to promote the local areas and creates a striking abstract work when viewed from down the carriage whilst offering those sitting closer the opportunity to enjoy the finer detail.
• Blazing Trails by Sofia Barton.  This artwork investigates hidden histories and the pioneering personalities which have made North East England the vibrant and inclusive place it is today.  The work is a digital montage and also takes influence from Sofia’s own Punjabi heritage and her upbringing in Newcastle’s west end.

  

• Drawn to Life by Sara Gibbeson.  Sara is an Illustrator and lecturer based in South Shields and got out and about on the Metro for inspiration, spending months travelling, sketching her fellow passengers and people working and at play in local areas.  The piece brings together dozens of enlarged and intimate line drawings creating an overlap which builds to a thick and fascinating work which can be seen in many different ways by the viewer with its changeable focus.

  

• North Sea Mermaids by Nocciola the Drawer. Hazel Oakes, working as Nocciola the Drawer, has made a digital mural which captures and celebrates the communities of women who gathered to wild sea swim on the beaches served by Metro at Seaburn, South Shields and Tynemouth. Hazel undertook detailed research by swimming, chatting and filming with her subjects in order to create an inspiring, vibrant and empowering piece.

  

For those wishing to see the four artworks ahead of them appearing onboard the new Metro trains next year can visit a free three-day pop-up exhibit called ‘the Big Reveal’ at NCA gallery, High Bridge, Newcastle.

The pop-up event will take place from Thursday the 13th to Saturday the 15th of October and will be open from 10am to 8pm. For further information please visit: https://www.visitnca.com/exhibitions/metro-artwork-reveal

Nexus who own and operate Metro and train manufacturer Stadler used Arts Council England funding via its National Lottery Project Grants programme in order to commission the four artists.

Huw Lewis, Customer Services Director for Nexus, said: “Bryony, Sofia, Hazel and Sara tell four very different stories about modern North East England, but between them have created art which will inspire, intrigue and entertain millions of Metro customers for years to come.

“We held an international competition, challenging artists to create original large-scale works capturing what it means to live in our region today.  I could not be more excited to be sharing the finished works as we count down to the introduction of our new trains.

“Our customers have helped shape the design of Metro’s new fleet down to the smallest detail and one thing people asked for was art and imagery to be incorporated into the final carriages.

“Nexus has a long tradition in commissioning public and community art across our stations, but this is the first time in Metro’s 42-year history we have commissioned major works onto trains, and we believe it is the first project of its kind in the world.”

Jane Tarr, Director North, Arts Council England said: “I’m delighted that we have supported Nexus through our National Lottery Project Grants programme for this project.

“And it’s great that there is an opportunity for people to see the artworks ahead of their installation on the Metro’s new trains. I hope that the artists’ work will spark conversations on and off the Metro about what it means to live in the North East and I look forward to seeing all four artworks myself.”

Toby Lloyd, NCA Gallery Manager, said: “NCA fully support Nexus’s commitment to commissioning public artwork, and we are proud to be partnering with them on this exciting new project. We look forward to seeing the public’s reactions to these fantastic artworks in the gallery before they appear on the new fleet of trains.”