The Hitchcock Gallery

"North by Northwest" SEANETTA (Atlas Obscura User)

Any cinephile is mostly familiar with the works of the legendary British film director Alfred Hitchcock. What might be a little less known is that the famed filmmaker was born in the village of Leytonstone, a suburb located to the northeast of the city of London.

In 1999, on the centennial of his birth, the city decided to honor their local hero with a colorful art installation. Seventeen mosaic panels were commissioned, depicting scenes from his life, as well as images from his most recognized, and in some cases, lesser-known works.

The artist collective known as the Greenwich Mural Workshop spent more than half a year painstakingly implementing more than 80,000 tiny, brightly colored tiles to depict these various images. It would take another few months for the artists; Carol Kenna, Stephen Lobb, Nathan Lobb, Julie Norburn, and Claire Notley to install this massive public display.

The finished work was unveiled on May 3rd, 2001 to great fanfare. Each picture is accompanied by a small placard that includes tidbits and historical facts about the image.

Know Before You Go

The installation is located in two tunnels outside of the ticket barriers, as one makes their way through the station, in both directions. Please be aware that commuters use these tunnels to enter and exit the station. Leytonstone is located on the Central Line.