Artist Ben Wilson produces miniature masterpieces on blobs of chewing gum littering the pavements in North London.
From a distance, he could be homeless or a drunk - his coat is spattered with paint - but as you near, you see that he is painting in enamels, with great delicacy, a picture on the discarded gum that litters urban pavements.
Romantic or eccentric, you may think, but surely no challenge to public order. It helps that Wilson is softy spoken, gentle, and clever enough to ensure that he is not breaking the law. He paints on the gum, not the pavement, and you can't be charged with criminal damage to litter. Unlike the graffiti artist, Banksy, who has had to remain anonymous or face criminal charges, Wilson wants to connect his public art with people.
by Madeleine Bunting
The Guardian
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