London Underground

tube-reading_2628241k

Photographs by obsessive compulsive tube photographer Bob Mazzer from the 1970s and 1980s; scenes from a subterranean netherworld, neither here nor there, suspended between departure and arrival, an in-between place of shared destiny, temporary community, surrendered dignity.

tube-kiss_2628174k

Tube-1

tube-photo_2628155k

tube-map_2628163k

tube-dress_2628188k

tube-closed_2628200k

tube-jumping_2628245k

I found these photos thanks to Lauren Elkin who in turn got them from unicornology. They’ve been doing the rounds, appearing in the Guardian, Telegraph, Standard, Huffington Post to name but a few and not surprisingly all links lead back to the ubiquitous Spitalfields Life.

tube-clock_2628201k

tube-youths_2628239k

tube-sleep_2628146k

tube-snooze_2628211k

61

tube-teddys_2628206k

tube-peace_2628244k

Looking at these photos I’m drawn back 35 years to when I first arrived in London. I knew hardly anyone, I spent hours alone in the studio and the tube was a place of consolation and adventure. I once found a great roll of magnetic yellow ticket tape abandoned in Seven Sisters station. Cut into standard issue stubs it gave me weeks of free travel; a prototype Freedom Pass, the city was my oyster.

tube-reading_2628148k

tube-paperbag_2628158k

tube-punk_2628150k

tube-pint_2628151k

tube-cowboy_2628194k

life_on_the_london_underground_26

tube-elderlyman_2628183k

tube-greenpark_2628178k

tumblr_ms3ixcYNrG1rys5vbo1_1280

life_on_the_london_underground_11

a5105e2a8a5378caa6f28464eaacf598

bob-mazzer-on-the-tube-17

The soundtrack is We Travel The Subways by Hal Willner from his album Whoops, I’m An Indian.

tube77

Almost inevitably the thrill faded, the novelty wore off. Rush-hour travel, overcrowded carriages, forced intimacy, claustrophobia and panic attacks are what I remember most. And also the strikes.

Frames of reference

One thought on “London Underground”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.