I love street art, those ephemeral curios that inhabit our public spaces. They enliven the sometimes bleak urban landscape, they showcase a talent that might otherwise remain hidden and they slow us down in what would otherwise be a pell mell experience.
These generous souls provide us with free art, they make us stop and think. It was a beautiful day, out early and by that lovely mucky river…
Glorious Wren…
And today, one such genius had me squatting and on my knees on the Millennium Bridge while waiting for the Tate Modern to open.
The Tate Modern outlooms even the Shard…
I was meeting fellow blogger and all round heroine of the recent #1000speak project Yvonne Spence but I was early, it was beautifully sunny and I’d read about Ben Wilson’s exploits on the bridge.
my first spot…
Ben paints chewing gum. He sits and turns a piece of urban detritus into art. I couldn’t have timed it better since workmen are relaying the pavers that lead onto the bridge from the south side so some of his art will soon be recycled into a foundation somewhere as the concrete eaters get to work on his handiwork. I couldn’t snap all, and anyway that would spoil you finding your own but I give you, here, a gallery of Ben’s joyous splats of creativity, in some cases possibly for the last time.
As I squatted a woman asked what I was doing. She joined me in recording these works. Maybe if anyone amongst you is crossing that bridge soon you will do the same. They aren’t intended to last but that’s no reason not to capture their spirit while you can.
Enjoy….
TanGental 
Bloody brilliant they are. Stroke of genius
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By gum! What will they think of next. I’m chewing over whether it is something I’d find interesting or not! 🙂
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I’ll show you when you’re here next!
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Okay. Deal! 🙂
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There’s always a bed ready for any of the blogging friends…
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That’s a lovely invitation. I’m not sure that I’ll be back that way in a while. I could say the same here! We could maybe get a bloggers international B&B going! 🙂
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Great idea sort of challenge to air B and B, word B and B
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I’ve been hearing a lot about air B&B lately. Seems to be the latest thing.
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he Lawyer used these exclusively where he could when he drive across the US two summers ago and last year around Europe. You hear a few scandals (people not moving out) but I think they are a great idea to help young people travel.
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I’ve been hearing about them from older people! 🙂
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What a great idea, chewing gum art. Never seen or heard of it before but this man has talent. I wonder how many people, like the woman who asked you, asked what he is doing?
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sadly he looks like one of the many homeless and therefor is often ignored. I think he like that.
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That is so interesting , I hope you both had a good day!!
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we did; she has great plans for 1000speak and I put my hand up to help (dusting of my legal knowledge)
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Good for you keep me in the loop if I can help 🙂
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I will pass on your offer!
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Love these! We will be visiting the Millennium Bridge this summer and I will be sure to look for this wonderful art with my son!
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Your blog is so good at teling us about your world that I cn imagine something like thismight just capture his imagination. There were over 400 apparently out that will have reduced with footsteps and the change of some paving but there will be lots on the bridge itself stuck in the cracks. If you can manufacture arriving by train into London Blackfriars (the overground not the tube) you get a fantastic view from the new platforms that span the river. It’s worth going up to the platforms on either side for one of the best views of London. Even if you don’t have a ticket the man on the barrier would usually let you in to look
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You are very kind, Geoff, thank you! I think the art being reduced in number by the time we get there might actually be helpful – it will make finding them like a quest and could distract him if the bridge is really crowded or he is uncomfortable with the height over the river. We will definitely take your advice on getting a view from the train platform at Blackfriars, thanks much for that suggestion!
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Just a thought; I’m guessing this is a visit to the UK (you’re blog post suggesting coyotes are a problem walking the dog gives this way if nothing else). If so and if you need something for your son, there are autism friendly screenings regularly at the picture house cinemas – these are great independent cinemas all over the country linked by that banner – this is a link to explain Picturehouse-cinemas-hold-autism-friendly-screenings this tells you about them from the National Autistic society website. On those rainy days when you’re all going up the wall… Just a thought and if this isn’t at all the right thing sorry for getting my assumptions skewwhiff 🙂
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Fascinating! 🙂
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it’s great it makes you stop and look at your environment in different ways
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Yvonne Spence! How exciting! Hope you both had a great visit! It’s like Spiderman getting to meet up with Wonder Woman. And the gum is profoundly different from the art that seeks longevity and legacy.
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What a lovely comparison. Yvonne is lovely, so thoughtful and poised! And she Lizzie and some others have some great ideas to carry this forward
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