There is an artist which is very hard to see, but if you open your eyes and look down you can see it. Ben Wilson 'The Chewing Gum Man', the artist,which paints on top of chewing gum around London.
Outside the art world's formal exhibition of the RA's Abstract Expressionism show there was a more hidden form of art going on the floors of the car park. When I came back with a fellow student from getting a coffee and collecting large pieces of cardboard (as you do), we when to place the cardboard in the back of the van and that's when I saw it, a colourful piece of chewing gum. Before that I already know about Ben Wilson's work, but I always feel existed to see his work where ever I got because it's like being in a small knowing circle were the people that know about the work, see it more and kind of knowing the meanings behind the work. Also, I like the fact that he brings a pop of colour within the grey streets.
Ben Wilson
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Photo of Ben Wilson- From online-
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ |
Ben Wilson (born 1963) is an English wood carver and outsider artist. Wilson grew up in a creative environment and attended art school. His distaste for industrial waste, cars and rubbish eventually turned into an art form. He creates tiny works of art by painting chewing gum stuck to the pavement. Initially, his work garnered him unwanted attention from the authorities, but because he is not defacing private property but merely painting rubbish, he was found to be breaking no law. In addition to the chewing gum art, Wilson paints and sculpts.
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Image of his work- from google-
http://www.martagrabowska.com/ |
The Piece
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| Photo I took of the piece |
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| Photo I took of the piece |
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| Photo I took of the piece |
What's very interesting with this piece is that it is a 'work of art' which contrast with the work that is shown within the Abstract Expressionism shown because all the work within the show are the 'normal' types of art, work on canvases, sculptures, photography and so on but with Wilson's work it's the relationship between the artwork and the outside world, through painting on chewing gum. His work has a way of capturing the everyday, culture and life of the City within a small piece of chewing gum.
It's the whole thing 'If you don't look hard enough, you miss it'. The way that hundreds of people will walk in and out and drive in an out and park and never see his work, but only the lucky few will be able to see it.
It's quite funny how I have talked to many people able his work and they didn't know who I was talking about, but then I showed them photos of his work and some say "Yes, The Chewing Gum guy, I know him". It's interesting how he elevates the ordinary by making the dirty chewing gum into beautifying pieces of art but people still pass it by. I love the way there can be hidden forms of art around London and people miss it, but the people in the people in the know or people that are open to opening their eyes will see it.
Also a really interesting thing to his pieces are that they are quite fragile through the way (which you can see within the photos) that the chewing gum slowly gets stepped on over and over again and ends up wearing away. And over time the paint slowly wears away and the artwork ends up just becoming chewing gum again.
Muswell Hill Pieces
On the 17th of May 2016 I went for a walk from the house to Alexandra Palace and the Muswell Hill and while I was walking through Alexandra Palace Way I saw one of the chewing gum pieces from Wilson. This day was very interesting to me because it was the most amount of his pieces that I have ever seen when I ended up on Muswell Hill Broadway and that would be because he lives in that area and he makes a lot of his work around there. Also, I did see him that day just making his own work.
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| Photo I took of one of this pieces in Alexandra Palace Way |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
It's very interesting in their way each chewing have many different styles and themes. Also, if you walk through Muswell Hill Broadway, it's like a trail that you follow to find all of them. What's also very interesting up in Muswell Hill there is a restaurant that has asked for him to place and paint a design on a chewing gum, which is on their wood broader around the front of the restaurant, making his work very popular around there.
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
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| Photo I took of his work on Muswell Hill Broadway |
Overall, If you look closely enough, you might find something very interesting that you are stepping on and that art comes in make different styles and that happen anywhere.
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