A unique outdoor trail is inviting Londoners to look down, not up, as five miniature artworks have appeared across the city this week.
Working with London icon, Ben Wilson, better known as the Chewing Gum Man, Specsavers has commissioned five brand-new pieces of tiny pavement
art, celebrating the joy of noticing life’s small details, while also highlighting the importance of keeping your eyes healthy.
Each work, painted directly onto discarded chewing gum, transforms an overlooked blemish of city life into a mini masterpiece. Together,
they form London’s tiniest exhibition and an art trail hidden in plain sight.
Since 2004, Ben has been turning the capital’s pavements into a public gallery of micro-art that tell stories of local life. Now, his
latest creations capture London’s iconic landmarks and everyday moments, celebrating the details that give the city its character.
With the trail now live, Londoners are being challenged to keep their eyes peeled and see how many of the five artworks they can discover.
Ben, the Chewing Gum Man, says: ‘London is made up of thousands of tiny details that we often miss in the rush of everyday life. These
pieces make people pause, look down and find something unexpected that makes them smile. Each one has its own story, whether it’s a landmark, a memory or just everyday life in the city, and together they show how much character you can find in the smallest
of things.’
With each piece having been painted directly onto a piece of chewing gum, transforming it into a colourful celebration of city life at
a scale barely larger than a coin, those keen to hunt down the mini masterpieces should pay particular attention to the streets around Soho, as well as near The National Gallery, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Bridge, and the London Eye on the South Bank.
Sukveer Orjela, optometrist and retail director at Specsavers Strand, says: ‘Ben’s artworks are a brilliant reminder of the joy that can
be found in the small details around us, if we are able to notice them. For many Londoners, conditions like presbyopia can make it harder to enjoy these finer points of city life, which is why regular eye tests are so important for keeping your eyes healthy.’
Visit
www.specsavers.co.uk
or go in store to book an appointment with one of our experts.
