Marginal Matters – Gum monsters

“When daily necessities and living environments become works of art, we can say that we are already living a balanced life.”

–Arte come mestiere, 1966, Bruno Munari

Our focus is on the marginalised groups, overlooked environments, and processes within London’s commuting ecosystem — for example, the noise in the Underground or poorly designed staircases. By starting from these small, marginal details, we aim to explore and evoke broader social resonance. Rather than attempting to address specific design pain points, we prioritise the lived experiences of people in society.

Our core goal was to raise awareness of this neglected environmental issue by engaging with the public through art. Our project was not only a critical response to the issue of urban waste, but also an exploration of how public space can be redefined and given new meaning.

Gum Monsters is a playful campaign that tackles gum pollution by turning cleanup into creativity. Participants collect discarded gum from the streets, exchange it for Clay, and sculpt unique monsters that “scare” gum away — transforming London’s tube stations into eye-catching reminders of cleaner streets.