Skip to playerSkip to main contentSkip to footer
National World - LocalTV
  • 02/05/2025
An interview with artist Ben Wilson, the chewing gum man.

Category

🗞
News
Transcript
00:00London is a city defined by its history, diversity and constant evolution, and art is a fundamental
00:10part of the landscape, found not only in major galleries but also in public spaces that people
00:17move through every day. It's a place where creative expression takes many forms, some
00:22traditional and others completely unexpected. Ben Wilson is an artist in London whose incredible
00:31work actually takes place outside the Tate Modern on the Millennium Bridge. Also known as the Chewing Gum
00:40Man, Ben has been transforming discarded pieces of chewing gum into miniature works of art using
00:47inspiration from everyday Londoners, our tourists who walk along the bridge leaving colourful
00:53messages to loved ones, completely transforming litter.
00:58My name is Ben Wilson and people call me the Chewing Gum Man and for the last 19 years I've
01:04been transforming discarded chewing gum into art. Because I was looking on the street and
01:11I saw this gum, I was thinking what is it? Well I didn't know what it was, all these black
01:17marks everywhere, and then I realised it's chewing gum. And I started more and more, you know,
01:24thinking my god that's terrible, people have all been so thoughtless, how could they have
01:28done that? But then I suddenly thought, if I paint on it, so suddenly then art could happen
01:34anywhere in a spontaneous way. And I thought, my god that's absolutely amazing, you know, that
01:40I can make art happen in this random way. And I like the idea that you made a piece of art
01:49in this kind of environment where it was some old bit of gum, and you're making something
01:54really beautiful, almost like a gem, something like really special, a piece of jewellery.
02:00But when the bridge is cleaned, many of these tiny pieces of artwork are at risk of being lost.
02:07In fact, a campaign was launched last year to protect Ben's artwork from being removed
02:13during a deep clean of Millennium Bridge.
02:16Now I'm saying it's art, why destroy it? And even like pictures which are faded, they often
02:22have like meanings to people. So if you take that out, the actual picture connects to the
02:28picture that the person has in their mind. So by taking the picture out, you're kind of
02:33in a way, just let it fade. So if it's a love message, or if it's a rest in peace picture,
02:42you know, like it just, the picture kind of gradually fades away, but the person still
02:46has the memory in their mind. You know, what I love about the pictures is that they celebrate
02:55people from all walks of life.

Recommended

2:54
Up next
The Chewing Gum Man: Millennium Bridge art to be destroyed in ‘deep clean’
National World - LocalTV
13/10/2023
0:55
London Landmarks: East London’s abandoned bridge
National World - LocalTV
27/03/2025
1:45
Hammersmith Bridge re-opens for cyclists
Local TV
22/04/2025
2:00
‘The best bridge in London’ according to locals in the city
National World - LocalTV
17/04/2024
0:55
Look Around London - London Bridge
Local TV
14/02/2025
1:13
Gross But Cool! Artist Paints the Dried Gum Left on the Ground
Buzz60
28/08/2024
1:44
One of London’s most famous bridges set to close for three weeks
National World - LocalTV
06/10/2023
0:55
Look around London: The Gherkin
Local TV
13/05/2025
0:55
London Landmarks: Downing Street
Local TV
10/04/2025
3:00
The Square Mile: London’s most historic area
National World - LocalTV
27/06/2025
0:34
Banksy claims third animal themed artwork in London
LondonWorld
07/08/2024
1:00
Londoners reveal their favourite British meal
National World - LocalTV
07/02/2025
0:14
New Banksy artwork in London
LondonWorld
18/03/2024
1:00
London ranked as ‘most instagrammable’ city in the entire world
National World - LocalTV
22/10/2024
0:55
London Landmarks: Brixton Windmill
Local TV
10/03/2025
0:55
Look Around London - Tower Bridge
Local TV
24/01/2025
0:55
Look around London: Tower of London
Local TV
6 days ago
2:00
New and old Bridgerton London locations
National World - LocalTV
05/06/2024
0:55
London Landmarks: Exmouth Market
National World - LocalTV
26/03/2025
0:56
London Calling exhibition planned
LondonWorld
21/02/2023
0:55
Look around London: London overground
Local TV
23/06/2025
0:56
Cedar Place Armley: Armed police swarm Leeds street after 'gunshots heard' and man injured
Yorkshire Evening Post
yesterday
1:45
Iconic Barry landmark goes on the market
Local TV
yesterday
2:30
Government launches ‘landmark’ review into parental leave and pay for UK families
Local TV
yesterday
0:29
Hundreds gather for St Gemma’s Hospice Sunset Walk in Leeds
Yorkshire Evening Post
2 days ago