British artist Gregory launches new artwork at Heathrow Terminal 4 Underground station

British artist and photographer Joy Gregory launches at Heathrow Terminal 4 Underground station. 24 billboards layering photography, monoprints and poetry are a continuation of Gregory’s work on the themes of migration, food and plants. The new artwork follows Gregory’s design for the 2023 pocket Tube map inspired by staff-cultivated gardens across the London transport network. Heathrow Terminal 4 Underground station and the two other Tube stations serving the airport now regularly see more than one million entries and exits per month in total. An expansive new artwork by leading British artist and photographer, Joy Gregory has launched today at Heathrow Terminal 4 Underground station, transforming the ticket hall as part of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Art on the Underground programme.Renowned for her influence on British feminist photography and social justice movements since the 1980s, Joy Gregory uses photographic media to reilluminate overlooked narratives around identity, race, gender and social history, which underscore contemporary society.A Taste of Home expands on Gregory’s interest in themes of migration, memory and plant knowledge. Recognising Heathrow Airport as a gateway to London, a portal of entry and exit as people pass in and out of the city, Gregory has rooted this commission in dialogue with the community of refugees and asylum seekers currently living in temporary accommodation near the airport, many of whom are supported by the Hillingdon-based charity, Refugees in Effective and Active Partnership (REAP).

Joy Gregory, A Taste of Home, 2024. Heathrow Terminal 4 Underground station. Commissioned by Art on the Underground. Photo Thierry Bal 3
 
The artwork offers a space for the stories of newly arrived Londoners, displaced people whose realities are increasingly maligned and misrepresented, and explores how people carry a sense of home with them in the plants and food they cook, share and remember.

The artwork is installed on a series of 24 billboards in the Piccadilly line ticket hall rotunda of Heathrow Terminal 4 station. It brings together excerpts of a poem from the Poetry Translation Centre by Khaled Abdallah, ‘Seeds in Flight’, and Warsan Shire’s poem ‘Home’. These poetic fragments sit alongside ingredients which were discussed as ‘tastes of home’ during a series of photographic workshops Gregory facilitated in the temporary accommodation, and collaged over botanical artworks Gregory created using techniques such as cyanotype and monotype printing.

The 24 artworks expand on the photographic collage technique used for Gregory’s 2023 pocket Tube map artwork A Little Slice of Paradise, which was inspired by TfL’s history of staff-cultivated station gardens.

Rooted in solidarity, A Taste of Home mediates on the ways that compassion and food connect people, across oceans and beyond borders, and celebrates the cultures, languages and hopes which coalesce in London. The project marks the beginning of an ongoing creative relationship between Art on the Underground, REAP and refugees and asylum seekers living in the Heathrow area throughout 2024.

Joy Gregory, artist, said: “I have long been fascinated by the journeys of food and plants, how they traverse continents and cultures, weaving stories of migration and resilience. Plants are central to our being, they sustain our bodies, heart, and soul. They embody the essence of human migration, reflecting our innate desire for new beginnings - sometimes chosen, but all too often, imposed by circumstances beyond our control. In the words of the poet, Warsan Shire, ‘No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark’. This poignant line encapsulates the harsh realities faced by those forced to flee their homes in search of safety and refuge. A Taste of Home is a project that honours the richness of diverse cultures and the shared humanity that binds us all.”

Eleanor Pinfield, Head of Art on the Underground, commented: “The ticket hall rotunda at Heathrow Terminal 4 station is an expansive site at a symbolic location - the gateway to London for so many millions. Joy Gregory’s new commission is an exploration of nature, food and plants in our city, exploring the histories and futures of both those who have lived in London for generations, and those newly arriving. Gregory’s photographic installation will be a contemplative reflection of the city seen by thousands of people each day, rooted in the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers living in the Heathrow area.”

Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said: “London is one of the most diverse cities in the world, so it’s a fitting tribute that Joy Gregory’s A Taste of Home will welcome visitors and tourists as they arrive to the capital at Heathrow. The work uses plants to celebrate the communities that have settled in London and made their home, enriching our lives with food, culture and art.”

James Reed CBE, Chairman and Chief Executive of Reed, sponsor of Art of the Underground, said: “Heathrow is a wonderful location to represent Joy Gregory’s work which highlights elements of cultural diversity in our city. Reed began just around the corner in Hounslow and still supports local communities and those looking for work in the area, so this exploration feels meaningful for me for many reasons. I hope all those passing through Heathrow enjoy this installation as much as I will.”As ridership continues to return to pre-pandemic levels across the TfL network, the three London Underground stations serving Heathrow Airport are now regularly seeing a combined total of more than one million entries and exits each month.TfL recently celebrated the second anniversary of the Elizabeth line, which also calls at Terminal 4. By May this year the line had seen more than 350 million journeys since its 2022 opening.