Using two waste materials created in plentiful numbers during the creation and operation of London’s Underground system – London clay and dust rich in iron oxide – designer Jeffrey Miller has performed alchemical genius by combining the two to create a unique set of tiles.
London clay – the material most of the city is built on top of and the Underground system is built within – is not usually an ideal product to form ceramics from (due to its imperfections, pollution, and high levels of smectite). However, by processing the clay by drying it out, filtering out impurities, and testing how it fired when reconstituted with water, Miller was able to extract a suitable tile-making substance.
As for the iron oxide rich dust, this comes from the daily grind of the trains on the tracks which Miller vacuumed up himself from where it gathers on the platforms. Embracing the unavoidable contamination from hair, dirt, and various other pollutants from commuters and carriages, the glaze created with the track dust contains its own set of surface imperfections, filled with authentic Underground character.
The tiles for Miller’s From the Underground project are formed in moulds designed by London Underground architect Leslie Green. Their Art Nouveau style is used throughout the London Underground system so these innovative tiles could also potentially be used to replace broken or missing pieces.
A new post by Hanna Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, March 2024.