Some street artists you imagine are so impossible to find that the “street” element of their work might be theoretical. For example, it seems inconceivable that one might stumble by chance upon Slinkchu’s half inch statues in posed tableaux of jeopardy and one relies on his photographic record as evidence of his street art.
I had consigned the chewing gum painter Ben Wilson to the same category, the possibility identifying the work of the dude who paints those baked hard chewing gum splatts on the pavement were slim to nil, I mean how many unpainted chewing gum blobs are there to investigate before you find the one? I shared that probability the other day with a guest on the Shoreditch Street Art Tour and wouldn’t you know it, half an hour later she spots a painted chewing gum!
This micro landscape on masticated resin is a cut depiction of Shoreditch Town Hall which is visible over your shoulder when standing by that bit of gum.
On yesterday’s tour, as I opened my mouth to advise the group we were just yards from a bit of chewing gum street art found on the previous day’s tour, I glanced down and found another one! Again the street landscape appears to reflect the immediately surroundings, this time it’s a nearby bookshop.
The street art gallery constantly changes and it is a joy to find unusual pieces like these, particularly when it is in the company of a tour group. May there be many more!
all photos: nolionsinengland
