Ben Wilson Vs Banksy

Have you seen the young man who paints the streets of London? or so the song goes!

Street artist Ben Wilson has spent the last six years creating over 8,000 works of art...on...wait for it...little pieces of chewing gum that have been spat out and squashed under foot on the pavement. Ben claims that it's the people spitting out the gum breaking the law and not him as he merely uses it as his canvas. Therefore he's not actually causing any damage or defacing the London pavements. Five years ago, Wilson was arrested in Trafalgar Square, and then again last year by the City of London Police for criminal damage, the charge was dropped a few months later. Guess they couldn't get it to stick!

Ben Wilson has gained celebrity status on the streets of Muswell Hill, North London. Most of the locals know him now and have become used to seeing him lying on the pavement getting close to his work.

Upon finding the ideal piece of gum to work with, Wilson heats it up first with a small blow torch, then adds a lacquer to harden it and then uses special acrylic paints to create his tiny masterpieces. Each design can take up to ten hours to produce.

Move over Banksy!


 

Also catch Ben on BBC News here
Ben Wilson Chewing Gum Artist