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Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama uses her most recognisable motif, polka dots, as inspiration to create Infinite Accumulation, a soaring permanent sculpture at the UK's busiest station, London Liverpool Street

• The sculpture is designed to complement the architecture of the new Elizabeth line station entrance and surrounding area
• The artwork was commissioned as part of The Crossrail Art Foundation's public art programme for the Elizabeth line with the support of Victoria Miro

Transport for London (TfL), British Land and City of London Corporation unveil a monumental new sculpture by internationally acclaimed artist Yayoi Kusama at Britain's busiest station, London Liverpool Street. Infinite Accumulation is the artist's first permanent public artwork in the UK and her largest ever public sculpture in the world.

Yayoi Kusama is best known for her use of massed, repeated polka dots, which first emerged in her work in the 1960s and have become one of her signature motifs. Polka dots cover the surfaces of numerous of her paintings, sculpture, and all-encompassing multi-media installations. For Kusama dots express both the underlying unity and instability of the cosmos, as well as Earth's often precarious place within it.

For this monumental site-specific work, Kusama has expanded the polka dot into linked forms which interact with and define the public spaces outside the new Elizabeth line entrance to Liverpool Street station. These dynamic serpentine arches were created intuitively by Kusama, hand-twisting the wires on the original models for the artwork.

Infinite Accumulation reaches over 10 meters high and 12 meters wide and covers an area of approximately 100 meters in length. Its gleaming silver spheres soar above the ground and are highly polished to reflect everything around them. This dynamic, highly reflective architectural form, mirroring the viewer and the world around it, means Infinite Accumulation responds to both individual and collective experience within the changing spaces of the urban landscape of London.

Infinite Accumulation was co-funded by British Land and the City of London Corporation. It is the final artwork to be installed and commissioned by the Crossrail Art Programme for the Elizabeth line, the largest collaborative public art commissioning process in a generation.

Kusama's work sits alongside works including Douglas Gordon's undergroundoverheard at Tottenham Court Road station and Chantal Joffe's A Sunday Afternoon in Whitechapel at Whitechapel station. It joins Manifold (Major Third) 5:4 by Conrad Shawcross, which was unveiled at the western entrance of the station at Moorgate in 2023. Infinite Accumulation is located outside the eastern entrance of the Elizabeth line at Liverpool Street station.

Yayoi Kusama said: 

'London is a massive metropolis with people of all cultures moving constantly. The spheres symbolise unique personalities while the supporting curvilinear lines allow us to imagine an underpinning social structure.' 

Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said: 

'Commuters and visitors are in for a real treat when they arrive at Liverpool Street and are welcomed by Kusama's Infinite Accumulation. Kusama is one of the world's leading artists and so it is fitting that this is the final work in a brilliant series of contemporary art commissions for the Elizabeth line. The arts are a vital part of London's success, helping transform our spaces and connect our communities as we build a better London for all.'

Eleanor Pinfield, Head of Art on the Underground at TfL, said:

 'Infinite Accumulation is a monumental addition to public art in London and marks the first permanent installation of Yayoi Kusama's work in the UK. With this artwork, millions will enjoy the opportunity to encounter Kusama's dynamic and rhythmic sculpture, reflecting on the evolving city around them.'

Gareth Roberts, Head of Development - Science & Technology and Standalone Projects at British Land, and ex-Chair of City Property Association, said: 

'At British Land, we are delighted to see the installation of Kusama's work at Broadgate. This will be a fantastic addition to one of London's busiest areas, bringing joy and inspiration to the many people who pass through Liverpool Street Station each day.'

Chair of Crossrail Arts Foundation, Michael Cassidy, said: 

'Celebrating the vibrant tapestry of London's cultural mosaic, the City of London Corporation proudly supports Yayoi Kusama's sculpture, 'Infinite Accumulation' as part of the Crossrail Art Programme. We are privileged to fund this significant public art project, enhancing the urban landscape and inspiring reflection among visitors worldwide.'

Following the opening of the Elizabeth line, oversight of the Crossrail Art Programme artworks was transferred to TfL's Art on the Underground team. Located on its land, City of London Corporation will take on the long-term care of this artwork.  

A second public installation by Yayoi Kusama for London is presented by Serpentine and the Royal Parks in Kensington Gardens. Kusama's Pumpkin, 2024 takes the form of a large-scale bronze sculpture and is on view this summer. The work on view in Kensington Gardens is Kusama's tallest bronze pumpkin sculpture to date, standing at 6 metres tall and 5.5 metres in diameter. Installed prominently by the Round Pond, Pumpkin (2024) can be seen from a wide variety of viewpoints and perspectives creating an intriguing dialogue with the surrounding environment of the Park.

New data from the Office of Rail and Road ORR shows that the new Elizabeth line has dramatically increased the number of people using the central London stations. London Liverpool Street station, where Kusama's artwork is located, has now taken over from Waterloo as the busiest station in the country. 

People will be able to enjoy more artwork while travelling in London as six new artworks are set to launch on the Tube network this year as part of the Art on the Underground programme. This includes a series of artworks which are in place in the rotunda at Heathrow Terminal 4 Underground station by British artist and photographer Joy Gregory, a new sound work by Joe Namy with the Mayor of London's Culture and Community Spaces at Risk programme, which could be heard at Waterloo Underground station in July, and a permanent mosaic work at historic St James's Park station by artist duo Hannah Quinlan and Rosie Hastings, which will launch this autumn.

Notes to editors:

Images are available from TfL Press Office

Yayoi Kusama - Biography

Yayoi Kusama is one of the most celebrated artists of our time. Over the course of her eight-decade career, she has developed a unique and diverse body of work that, highly personal in nature, connects profoundly with global audiences. Known for her signature motifs including the polka dot and pumpkin, Kusama's extraordinary artistic endeavours have spanned painting, drawing, collage, sculpture, performance, film, printmaking, installation and environmental art as well as literature, fashion and product design.

Art on the Underground  

Art on the Underground is London Underground's public art programme, producing world-class contemporary artworks throughout the network, enhancing the millions of journeys made every day. It aims to promote a greater understanding of the Tube as a cultural and social environment through the creative commissioning of artworks. With between three-and-a-half to four million passengers using the network per day, Art on the Underground projects are exposed to one of the largest and diverse audiences in Europe. For more information about Art on the Underground, please visit: art.tfl.gov.uk 

Crossrail Art Programme 

Together with seven internationally renowned London-based art galleries and a respected advisory panel of art-world representatives, the Crossrail Art Foundation delivered the largest collaborative public art commissioning process in a generation. Major works of public art by critically-acclaimed artists have been integrated into the design and build of seven new Elizabeth line stations as part of the Crossrail Art Programme - a line-wide exhibition designed to reflect the ambition of London's newest railway and the communities it serves. 

The Crossrail Art Foundation was founded in 2014 with support from the City of London Corporation, with a mission to promote art for the benefit of the public by establishing and maintaining a public art programme that will enhance the journeys of the millions of people use the Elizabeth line. The charity funded the commissioning, creation, installation and maintenance of works of art at the central Elizabeth line stations. 

The Crossrail Art Foundation is registered as a charity in England and Wales (1159310) and is a company limited by guarantee (company number 09200269), with its registered office at 50 Broadway, London SW1H 0BL. 

The Crossrail Art Programme was paid for by funders and/or grant contributors. The City of London Corporation provided matched funding for half of the total cost of the Art Programme in central London Elizabeth line stations, plus a contribution towards set-up costs.

The full list of artworks and funders that form the Crossrail Art Programme across the central route of the Elizabeth line:   

• Spencer Finch's 'A Cloud Index' at Paddington station was co-funded by Heathrow Airport and the City of London Corporation
• Darren Almond's 'Horizon Line', 'Shadow Line' and 'Time Line' at Bond Street station were co-funded by Selfridges and the City of London Corporation
• Richard Wright's 'no title' at Tottenham Court Road station was lead-funded by Almacantar and the City of London Corporation and co-funded by Derwent London
• Douglas Gordon's 'undergroundoverheard' at Tottenham Court Road station was lead-funded by Almacantar and the City of London Corporation and co-funded by Derwent London 
• Simon Periton's 'Avalanche' and 'Spectre' at Farringdon station were co-funded by Goldman Sachs and the City of London Corporation
• Conrad Shawcross' 'Manifold (Major Third) 5:4' at Liverpool Street station (west) was co-funded by Land Securities and the City of London Corporation
• Yayoi Kusama's 'Infinite Accumulation' at Liverpool Street station (east) was co-funded by British Land and the City of London Corporation 
• Chantal Joffe's 'A Sunday Afternoon in Whitechapel' at Whitechapel station was funded by the City of London Corporation with grants from Art Fund and Randeree Charitable Trust
• Michal Rovner's 'Transitions' at Canary Wharf station was co-funded by the Canary Wharf Group and the City of London Corporation  

List of artists and their gallery partners:  

• At Paddington station: Spencer Finch with the support of Lisson Gallery  
• At Bond Street station: Darren Almond with the support of White Cube  
• At Tottenham Court Road station: Richard Wright with the support of Gagosian
• At Tottenham Court Road station: Douglas Gordon with the support of Gagosian
• At Farringdon station: Simon Periton with the support of the Sadie Coles HQ
• At Liverpool Street station: Conrad Shawcross with the support of Victoria Miro  
• At Liverpool Street station: Yayoi Kusama with the support of Victoria Miro  
• At Whitechapel station: Chantal Joffe with the support of the Whitechapel Gallery