I’m breaking with protocol a bit in this latest post. 

Don’t get me wrong, the Millennium Bridge has some stunning views which deserved to be enjoyed. Like this one for example:

But the next time you’re crossing Millennium Bridge I want you all to look down.

There are tiny works of art to be found…

And they’re the handiwork of Ben Wilson.

Like any Street Artist worth their salt, Ben is know by another name; The Chewing Gum Man.

Taking this sticky litter as his canvas Ben paints tiny scenes on trodden-in chewing gum and create brightly coloured – tiny – pictures.

“When a person throws chewing gum, it’s a thoughtless action. I’m turning that around. People think they don’t have an effect. But all the people that chew gum and throw it on the street, they created that. Once painted, it suddenly takes on new meaning and has been given the kind of worth that would otherwise be unthinkable.” – Ben Wilson talking to Human Nature.

After Ben’s finished with them they look like enamelled jewels. He uses layers of acrylic paint, adding the finishing shine by using a blow torch.

Unlike some street artists where speed is of the essence (given the illegal nature of their work) Ben’s pieces take a pretty long time to compete. He’s never been arrested though because he’s technically only painting the gum and not damaging any property. Clever right?

The Millennium Bridge project was completed in  2014 and contains a whopping 400 minuscule artworks.

So the next time you’re walking across, have a look down to see what you can find!

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