You don’t need to be in a museum to experience world-class art. Sculptures are dotted around the streets of Mayfair, figures frozen in time against the onset rush of commuters and shoppers alike. From the likes of Sir Antony Gormley and Henry Moore, these seven pieces of public art in Mayfair are not only magnificent but free to discover.
From Bond Street underground station, head to The Beaumont Mayfair where you can see Antony Gormley’s Room on the north wing of the Art Deco hotel. Standing at three storeys, this crouching steel giant is a surprisingly contemporary addition to the hotel’s façade, but perhaps even more surprising is its inside. Room is home to a unique cave-like suite that encourages a meditative state.
“This crouching steel giant is a surprisingly contemporary addition to the hotel’s façade”
From here, make your way to New Bond Street to see Everyone I’ve Ever Known — a nine-metre-long terrazzo artwork by artist Rhys Coren. Walk a few minutes over to Hanover Square where you can see Landline by Sean Scully RA. Reflecting the square itself, the towered sculpture, comprised of layers of coloured marble, represents the buildings, paths and trees of London’s West End.
On Hanover Street, lovers of abstract art will marvel at Bruce McLean’s colourful sculpture, Handbag Heads. These bright portraits, installed in 2004, were the first to be installed by the Crown Estate making it a significant display of public art.
Make your way to New Bond Street (Clifford Street) and stop at the Hermès homewares department where Henry Moore’s Draped Reclining Figure can be found on Hermès’s adjoining terrace. The bronze sculpture, installed in 2022, is a recurring theme in Moore’s work, representing our ability to take up space and find moments of contentment.
Head round the corner and you will approach Patek Philippe where two bronze figures appear in jovial spirits on a park bench. This is Lawrence Holofcener’s statue, Allies. A relaxed-looking Winston Churchill and Franklin D Roosevelt was unveiled by Princess Margaret 50 years after the Second World War and has since become a popular picture spot for passersby.
The final step on the tour is on the corner of Ralph’s Coffee — Horse and Rider by Elisabeth Frink. This Grade II listed sculpture conveys the timelessness of man’s relationship with horses, a relationship founded on balance between the rider’s intelligence and the horse’s speed.