This Art Installation Happens to Be a Working Subway Station

After 22 years of making, Naples' Monte Sant'Angelo subway station by British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor finally opens today.

From a distance, it appears to be a sculpture, but up close reveals itself as a metro entrance. The new Monte Sant'Angelo station in Naples perfectly realises Kapoor's original vision – it is first an artwork, then a station entrance.

The station, which began in 2003 and was officially put into use today, introduces two radically different approaches to underground access. The main entrance features a tapered Corten steel structure that will develop a rust patina over time through natural oxidation. Its form suggests geological emergence from the plaza, creating visual references to underground passages that feel more ancient than contemporary.

The Trajan entrance, meanwhile, takes a contrasting approach with a smooth tubular steel ring that provides clear urban navigation. Both entrances lead to interior spaces defined by rough tunnel walls and unfinished surfaces. They create continuity between the sculptural entrances and underground spaces, maintaining material honesty throughout the project.

The project marks Naples' latest addition to its art station initiative, which has systematically integrated international artists into the city's transit infrastructure. Kapoor's approach mirrors his other large-scale public works, including Chicago's Cloud Gate, where monumental scale fundamentally alters how people experience space.

Kapoor, born in Mumbai in 1954, established his international reputation after winning the Turner Prize in 1991. His art often explores themes of void and presence, utilising materials ranging from pigment to polished steel. His large-scale installations, such as "Marsyas" at Tate Modern, demonstrate his ability to transform spaces and challenge perceptions.

Photo courtesy of Amedeo Benestante; © Anish Kapoor