Cigarette butts and gum litter are the bane of London’s walkways. Is there a creative solution?
art © Otto Schade; photo © Sheron Long

Ben Wilson Gives Us Something to Chew On

Gum litter is a problem you step into quite unknowingly. It’s a worldwide issue, but when in London, where 3.5 billion pieces of gum end up as litter every year, chances are you’ll sense the problem up close and personal, like on your shoe.

When this happens, most of us utter an epithet, get out of the sticky situation, and go on our way. But Londoner Ben Wilson, an outsider artist, has a more creative reaction. He transforms the disgusting gum globs into tiny underfoot paintings—spots of color that delight the eye of passersby.

The prettiest gum glob on the block
art © Ben Wilson; photo © Sheron Long

When painted, litter becomes art.
art © Ben Wilson; photo © Sheron Long

Wilson’s street art highlights the problem of gum litter by juxtaposing a thoughtless act with an act of beauty.

Undersized Pictures, Oversized Commitment

Ben Wilson grew up in a family of artists and became a wood sculptor and painter. Dedicated to beautifying the urban environment, he got into painting on top of existing ads and billboards. Then he got into trouble with the law.

In an “Oh, I see” moment, Wilson landed on the idea to paint over gum globs when he realized that he would not be defacing property—after all, the gum had been discarded. And since no one owned the gum, he wouldn’t need a permit to create his miniature masterpieces of street art.

Room for a London street scene,
a caption, the date, and the artist’s signature—really?
art © Ben Wilson; photo © Jeanne Gesumaria

Wilson works prone to the pavement. First, he heats the gum with a blow torch and then he applies three coats of lacquer. Using acrylic paints and tiny brushes, Wilson creates the image, drying the paint as he goes. Finally, he seals it with a clear lacquer finish.

Mostly, a single work of art takes two or three hours to do, but some take over a day. To date, Wilson has painted more than 10,000 gum globs!

Ideas and Inspiration

Each painting needs an inspiration. Wilson relies on spontaneity and whimsy, drawing ideas from the people and places in his environment.

On one glob, he may create an intricate scene of street life—Londoners waiting for the tube.

Just how many people can fit on a gum blob?
art © Ben Wilson; photo © Sheron Long

On another, he may draw an iconic animal—an elephant, a giraffe, a dino, or a crocodile—fitting a big beast on a small glob.

On many, he depicts joyful aspects of everyday life—a plate of bangers and eggs, a flower, or a funny face.

Sometimes, he works by special request from a neighbor or a stranger to create (free) a visual message of love or thanks, a commemorative scene for a big event, or a pictorial apology. One was even a marriage proposal!

The Millennium Bridge Trail

Wilson committed himself full-time to gum art in 2004.  Several years later, he looked to a new challenge—creating a trail of tiny pictures across the Millennium Bridge from the Tate Modern to Saint Paul’s Cathedral.

His outdoor workshop became a social spot, bringing him into conversation with curious walkers who have an eye for detail. This video (2:30) catches one such conversation and shows you how the aluminum grooves of the bridge’s deck changed his art style.

If video does not display, watch it here.

Wilson completed the Millennium Bridge Trail in September 2014. How long will his paintings last? Some still shine years later, and others age with aplomb. Still, his art is fleeting and subject to city decisions like the one in 2012 to clean the bridge. His prior work was lost, and Wilson had to begin the trail again in 2013.

As he told Emma Nichols in this short documentary (4:08), however, he’s not concerned about such losses:

“It’s the creative process I’m interested in. That’s what excites me—the way something can appear and disappear.”

Future (Dis)Appearances

The litter problem that has gummed up London’s streets for so long is not likely to go away. Neither is Ben Wilson’s commitment to stick with his craft. As more gum globs appear, Wilson will see that a good number disappear.

Perhaps, as his street art makes beauty out of blight, more and more people will work toward an inviting urban environment and stop the thoughtless act of gum litter. It’s something to chew on anyway.

Visit Vivienne Roberts’ site For One Week Only to see Wilson’s bio and more of his chewing gum paintings. Enjoy this interview with Wilson from DesignGood. 

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