80-year old wooden escalators form mind-warping sculpture in 'interloop' by chris fox

artist chris fox has created a mind warping public sculpture in sydney, australia’s heritage-listed underground railway station wynard. interloop is fox’s answer to repurposing the old wooden stairs after being replaced by metal ones, part of a major plan directed by local redevelopers who commissioned the artist to help transform the city’s financial district. 

chris fox has created the mind warping public sculpture for sydney’s underground railway station ‘wynard‘
all images by josh raymond, courtesy of chris fox

the escalators have carried passengers for over 80 years and slowly became an iconic symbol of the city’s identity. chris fox’s commemoration sees the 244 wooden treads become a twisting, ribbon suspended from the station ceiling in a design that twists commuter perspective. fox says the sculpture is intended to permanently enshrine the motion of the escalators while also communicating that passengers remain stationary while riding them.

interloop is fox’s answer to repurposing the old wooden stairs after being replaced by metal ones

the escalators had been in place for 80 years but following the 1987 fatal fire at london’s king’s cross station, which began under a wooden escalator, the devices fell out of favour. the wynyard escalators were fire retardant but a much more everyday problem was the number of high heels which became stuck in the wooden wedges on the steps.

the sculpture is part of a major plan directed by local redevelopers to transform the city’s financial district

the escalators have carried passengers for over 80 years and slowly became an iconic symbol of the city’s identity

chris fox’s commemoration sees the 244 wooden treads become a twisting, ribbon suspended from the station ceiling

ox says the sculpture is intended to permanently enshrine the motion of the escalators while also communicating that passengers remain stationary while riding them

the escalators had been in place for 80 years but were removed when the devices fell out of favour

the wynyard escalators were fire retardant but a much more everyday problem was the number of high heels which became stuck in the wooden wedges on the steps