Adrian Clarke Red Cricketer Poster - London Underground 1991 Print

Artist: Adrian Clarke (British)
Title: The Red Cricketer (Cricket, lovely cricket)
Commissioned By: London Underground / London Transport (Art on the Underground)
Year: 1991
Technique: Rare original vintage offset lithographic Four-Sheet trackside poster
Dimensions: 145x110 cm (Large format platform edition)
Intended Location: St. John's Wood Station (Lord's) & Oval Station (The Oval)
Status: Rare original large-format trackside poster, vintage printing, excellent condition
 
About the Poster:
This highly sought-after vintage Adrian Clarke Red Cricketer Poster was commissioned by London Underground in 1991 as part of their acclaimed fine art trackside poster series. Created by British contemporary artist Adrian Clarke, this striking large-format poster celebrated London's deep cultural connection to sport, specifically directing commuters to the historic cricket grounds near St. John's Wood (Lord's) and Oval stations. The artwork features a magnificent, highly saturated abstract expressionist study titled The Red Cricketer, using a dense, rhythmic impasto-like texture of fiery red, deep orange, turquoise blue, and sunny yellow brushstrokes to form a stylized silhouette of a batsman wearing a hat. It stands as an iconic design merging public transportation heritage with modern British painterly abstraction, making it a spectacular focal piece for contemporary homes, sports enthusiasts, and graphic art collectors.
 
About the Institution:
The London Underground has a rich, century-long tradition of commissioning leading avant-garde artists and graphic designers to decorate its stations and enrich the passenger journey. Re-launched with vigor in 1986 under the "Art on the Underground" banner, the campaign prioritized fine art over commercial advertisement. Selected artists were given complete creative freedom without corporate interference, tasked only with representing destinations accessible via the subterranean network. Artists like Adrian Clarke created original, multi-sheet masterpieces intended to act as temporary gallery spaces directly on the station platforms, transforming transit hubs into celebratory monuments of urban life, sport, and heritage.