Monday, March 30, 2020

Ben Wilson

Thanks to Andy for reminding me of Ben Wilson! He does beautiful miniature paintings on splats of discarded chewing gum on the pavement, and there used to be a trail of his lovely work all through Barnet High street until the council ripped up the paving stones and replaced them. That completely sums up Barnet Council: they had a potential tourist attraction on their hands and they destroyed it. It's a weird place to live, knowing that you live in a borough with such visceral hatred for creativity, but I suppose it's a good place to be a resister.
There's one scuffed painting left in the street where I live. Don't tell the council, or they'll remove it forcibly with it's arms pinned behind it's back.

























Ben has now painted gum on the Millennium Bridge https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/england/london/articles/ben-wilsons-chewing-gum-art-on-the-millennium-bridge/
and even has the odd discreet painting in Tate Modern (hear that, Barnet Council?)

In 2006 Ben did a specially-commissioned painting for my first solo album, Suburban Pastoral. That paintings almost completely worn away but it was in a discreet place, so it's probably an honourable scuff.
I've now ordered his book. He is an artist worth supporting. I wish his publisher was better at publicity- i can't find the order link but you can take a look here https://rawvision.com/search/rawvision/Ben%20Wilson Finally, here's the link to that album, Suburban Pastoral; I have a very few physical copies left. I am massively proud of the songs, because I hadn't really written anything for years and they just poured out of me in an endless flow, starting a solo career that I never dreamed would happen, and it's still going on. What an absolute blessing. https://helenmccookerybook.bandcamp.com/album/suburban-pastoral
And
here's a song:




1 comment:

  1. I met Ben about 5 years ago when he was doing his stuff outside St Pauls tube station. Nice guy. I distracted him sufficiently that he set light to his sleeve.

    (he uses a small blowtorch to dry the paint)

    ReplyDelete