Why are there mosaics in the Finsbury Park Underground Station?

Hot air balloon mosaics at Finsbury Park Station

Travelling through Finsbury Park on the Piccadilly line, you may have noticed several ornate hot air balloon mosaics lining the length of both the south and northbound platforms. We thought we'd take the chance to answer some of the most common questions about this unique installation.

When were the balloons installed?

The balloons were installed in 1983, the work of artist Annabel Grey and were commissioned by London Transport at a cost of £15,000. Money well spent, in our opinion.

Why were balloons chosen?

The story goes that this was a case of mistaken identity of sorts. The first manned balloon flight in England took place in 1784 at the Artillery Ground, formerly Finsbury Fields, several miles south of Finsbury Park. The two were mixed up and despite Finsbury Park having no direct link with ballooning the balloons were commissioned.

What do the balloons depict?

The artwork is not simply a random series of vintage hot air balloons but rather shows six balloons rising and descending in sequence along the platform, which is very easily missed when viewing them in passing.

What are the balloons made out of?

The balloons are made out of thousands of mosaic tiles, made of 52 colours, all apparently shipped in from Vincenza in Italy.

Who is the artist?

Annabel Grey created this beautiful work. She is also known for the Marble Arch platform art which is also worth paying a visit.

Final thoughts from Finsbury Park Ballooning Society

Next time you pass through it's certainly worth waiting for the train and passengers to clear and take a full walk of the platforms. Whilst our photos don't do them justice and 40 years of underground trains passing has started to take its toll, they remain one of the most unique and beautiful features of the TFL network.