Bermondsey Street Tunnel

by CHIHIRO ONO

ARTIST: CHIHIRO ONO
TRACK: A PIECE ON BERMONDSEY TUNNEL
LOCATION: BERMONDSEY STREET TUNNEL

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When the northern end of nearby Weston Street was swallowed by the new London Bridge Station, Bermondsey Street Tunnel became the longest of its kind in the country.

This long railway tunnel connects the southern section of Bermondsey Street to Tooley Street and the Thames, and dates back as far as 1836.

Over the course of the last 180+ years, a high concentration of neighbouring tunnels have been built, along with cavernous, subterranean spaces in-between them which would in turn become ale warehouses, bonded wine vaults, and later, night clubs. On hot summer days, the middle of the tunnel remains refreshingly cool – and in the shadows, despite the presence of a new lighting system, capable of displaying 16m colours, which was installed in 2009. The roar of the traffic, and repetitive rhythm of the trains above, are a reminder that London Bridge is a place where journeys begin and end.

A vast 1970s railway signal box sits atop the southern entrance to the tunnel that leads out to the galleries, boutiques and eateries of Bermondsey Street.

BIOGRAPHY

Chihiro Ono is a Japanese born, London-based, classically trained violinist, violist and composer. She has appeared as a performer with ARCO, Squib-box, Ensemble Modern, CHROMA, Phaedra, London Mozart Players, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. Her repertoire ranges Baroque [on period instruments], Classical, Contemporary, Experimental Music, Improvisation and Noise.

Chihiro is inspired by geopolitics, choreography, architecture, cinematography, folkloric music/sounds/movements, everyday sounds of life, and silence. She uses music as a tool to explore human abilities, to link people and places, and to open minds.