EPSOM’s STATION APPROACH
& ITS PUBLIC ART
Looking east down Epsom’s Station Approach.
Photograph by Roger Morgan © 2024
I recently wrote about Epsom Square (part of which is in the background above) and its little-noticed public art, and I now turn to the perhaps less-noticed (although, as we shall see, that was not always the case) public art in Epsom’s Station Approach.
First, some background. Epsom’s Station Approach was radically redeveloped in the early 2000s. On the north (station side), tired buildings on the corner with Waterloo Road were demolished and replaced with a much taller Travelodge Hotel (with some retail space at street level). The equally tired entrance/ticket hall of the station was demolished and rebuilt as part of the multi-storey “Jubilee House”, completed in early 2013. The ground floor of this provides retail spaces on each side of the new station entrance and, at the top of the sloping roadway, access to an under-cover car park. The higher floors are residential apartments.
A view from the top of Station Approach, showing the whole of Jubilee House and, on the left, the entrance to the car park.
Photograph by Roger Morgan © 2024
On the other side of Station Approach, the plot on the corner with Waterloo Road (that, following the demolition of the Foresters Hall, had been vacant for some years) and some additional plots were redeveloped as the multi-storey “Hudson House” – which is all apartments except for a ground floor retail space on the corner.
The now little-noticed public art is on the face of Jubilee House, mainly between the ground and first floor levels.
Looking up Station Approach, showing (as enlarged in the inset), one of the pieces of art.
Photographs by Roger Morgan © 2024
The explanation for all this is set out in an easily-missed notice to the right of the ATMs by the Station entrance, the text of which is repeated below.
WHAT MAKES EPSOM GREAT?
To celebrate the redevelopment of Epsom station, an art competition was commissioned by Solum Regeneration (a partnership between Network Rail and Kier Property) and Epsom & Ewell Borough Council.
The winning artist, Nick Jameson, an Epsom-based student from the University of Creative Arts, proposed his bold concept: “What makes Epsom, Epsom? You the people do.”
His idea was to adorn the building with real people of Epsom, sharing their opinions on what makes our town great.
We believe that it provides a warm welcome for people visiting our town and fitting legacy for this gateway building.
Nick Jameson (who had graduated from UCA by the time his winning designs were installed) spent time in Epsom’s market to research the project and gain a better understanding of the local community. He was reported as saying, “I spoke to everyone who was illustrated on the station and many more who weren’t, and was inspired by their comments of support for this town. Character is something this town is full of: it has character in its beautiful green spaces, in the Derby Day traditions, the local market atmosphere, and the list goes on. But what truly inspires me is the character of the people of Epsom. For me personally the people make this town, and I want to celebrate everyone here.”
One of the portraits in detail, together with (as inset) the original artwork.
Photographs by Roger Morgan © 2024
As can be seen from the example above, the installed portraits have the original detail in black, but are coloured only in stripes.
Another of the portraits in detail.
Photograph by Roger Morgan © 2024
As shown in the photograph above, the portraits – which are on clear glass – are a short distance in front of a white background. (The sun was shining when this photograph was taken, and the shadow of the black outlining can be seen on the background.) This photograph also shows the particular point (“Safe, friendly happy warm“) that the artist took from the sitter’s “opinions on what makes our town great”. The complete list of those selected opinions (which appear alongside the relevant portrait) is as below.
Safe, friendly happy warm. / The fresh and vibrant art personalities walking the streets. / The diversity of Epsom. / It takes all kinds to make this world. / We live in a nice friendly cul de sac and the boys love to play footie in the street. / I get to see lots of animals, like badgers. / Wheelchair accessible town centre. / I love to grow many fruits and veg – particularly raspberries – in my allotment. / I met my wife here. / I love scootering in the park. / I live here, teach here, go out here, and tell everyone how great it is here. / Knowing the time, all of the time thanks to the clock tower. / Tradition and heritage – The Derby and the Downs. / I love the toyshops. / My home town.
There are sixteen of these portraits easily seen from street level, the original artwork for which is as shown below.
The seven square format images.
With thanks to the 31 October 2012 Epsom Guardian.
The nine portrait format images.
With thanks to the 31 October 2012 Epsom Guardian.
While all the above can be easily seen from street level, there is a surprise in store if, from across the roadway, you look above the station entrance.
The entrance to Epsom Station.
Photograph by Roger Morgan © 2024
Even then, the three large portraits are not easily made out. They (together with the reflection of a cloudy sky) are shown in more detail in the following close-up, together with the original images from which they were taken.
Photograph by Roger Morgan © 2024
and original images with thanks to the 31 October 2012 Epsom Guardian.
When the artwork was installed in October 2012, the then local press noted that it had attracted strong criticism from residents who felt the faces were not in keeping with the traditional feel of the town. Unsurprisingly, Nick Jameson defended his work – noting that, by its nature, art was divisive. He went on to say, “As a designer or artist, you always aspire to please, but the reality of this profession and life is that you cannot please everyone. It all comes down to taste, and happily no two people are the same. This is the basis of the idea for the artwork.”
The controversy was not long-lived. Indeed (and perhaps sadly), the artwork is nowadays not much noticed.
Roger Morgan © 2024
PS It is, however, hard for rail travellers to overlook the artwork of the “potted history” posters inside the station.