Westminster Public Facilities Commission

From social criticism to humorous commentary, art history is abundant with toilet imagery. Pieter Bruegel the Elder used toilet scenes during the Renaissance to satirise human folly, while in 1917, the now ubiquitous Fountain by Marcel Duchamp challenged traditional notions of art. Building on this creative tradition, CAS *Consultancy has been appointed by FM Conway, Westminster City Council’s Principal Contractor, to deliver an ambitious public art scheme across eight sites as part of the City of Westminster’s extensive refurbishment of public conveniences.

London-based artist James Lambert has been selected for the commission for his playful and energetic approach using patterned-motifs that respond to the local area. Westminster City Council sought to commission an artist with a bold and graphic aesthetic, capable of weaving a compelling narrative across the borough. Collaborating with Westminster and Hugh Broughton Architects, James is developing artwork for Victoria Embankment, to be completed in autumn 2024. Further sites include Parliament Street, Carnaby Street, Piccadilly Circus, Green Park, Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Westminster Bridge. 

“Public art has the power to uplift and inspire, turning everyday places into unique experiences. We’re delighted to have chosen James Lambert to not only beautify our public spaces but also to create a visual story that resonates with everyone who visits and lives in our city. 

This is part of the council’s ongoing commitment to enhance our public realm and enrich the cultural experience of residents and visitors. And we hope the artwork, which will tell a story of Westminster’s diversity and vibrancy, will capture the public’s imagination.”  

– Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg 

About the artist: 

James Lambert is an artist and illustrator living and working in London. Drawing lies at the heart of his practice, often digitally manipulated combining graphic line, solid flat colour, rhythm and pattern. He is interested in the ability to communicate the intangible and the use of omnipresent visual codes and symbols to talk across divides. Tableaux take inspiration from personal experience as well as infographics encountered in the everyday.    

James has worked on diverse creative projects and commissions that intersect other disciplines from fashion, film and architecture to illustrating current events in newspapers. He considers this process of commission a collaboration and is also interested in arts dissemination across different platforms in popular culture. The blurring of disciplines and their lack of hierarchy within his practice is key in pursuing an inclusive form of work, happily carving a space outside of many existing creative norms. Commissions include projects with Tate Publishing, Liberty, Heatherwick Studio, The Guardian, Spectrum News, Transport for London, Thurrock Council, and David Chipperfield Architects. Additionally, James has partnered with The British Fashion Council, Serpentine, and Selfridges.