I am a Brooklyn-Based Issue Driven Artist focused on creating Conversation Generating Art to help build a world that works for all people and the planet.
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Benjamin Von Wong is a disruptive environmental artist who creates large-scale installations at global gatherings, transforming discarded materials into potent symbols of change.****
Notable achievements include a Guinness World Record installation crafted from 168,000 plastic straws, a striking 2.5‑story Biodiversity Jenga tower showcased at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference, and a dramatic 4‑story Plastic Faucet that highlighted the urgency of plastic pollution during the signing of the Global Plastic Treaty Resolution signed at the United Nations Environment Program headquarters.
His work has been featured at marquee events such as the World Economic Forum, COP, and Art Basel, and he has collaborated with prestigious brands, including Nike, Dell, and Starbucks. Von Wong meticulously documents every project, elevating his community collaborators and stakeholders while providing a collection of multimedia resources for press, non-profit, and government organizations.
Thanks to his generous donors, his work has generated billions of views and continues to be used worldwide to support grassroots organizations, educational institutions, and community-led initiatives that champion environmental justice.
Benjamin Von Wong is a hidden gem in the climate movement, seamlessly blending artistry with catalytic action and collaboration.
Von Wong's impact isn't confined to galleries or online platforms; his work serves as foundational material in art classrooms across the globe, inspiring the next generation of climate advocates. His installations and photographs—such as the 4-story tall Giant Plastic Tap showcased at the United Nations Headquarters, the Perpetual Plastic Machine commissioned by Greenpeace, and the Guinness-recognized Strawpocalypse crafted from 168,000 plastic straws—have captivated millions, becoming cornerstones in conversations that prompt nonprofits, corporations, and governments to "Turn Off The Plastic Tap."
His artistry transcends mere visual appeal, underlining the essential role of art in climate discourse. Beyond drawing attention, Von Wong actively raises significant funds for frontline communities, often employing local talent and channeling resources where they matter most.
Benjamin Von Wong is a multidisciplinary visual artist and activist who uses recycled and reclaimed materials to create striking work around the intersection of humanity's biggest issues - from climate change to social justice.
Leading from the principle that the world's largest issues are intertwined, Von Wong endeavors to co-create work with communities to help build more resilient ecosystems. His work often invites organizations and citizens to directly participate in the artistic process.
His art has been viewed and shared hundreds of millions of times worldwide and has earned a reputation for sparking conversation.
He has exhibited at Art Basel, the San Francisco International Film Festival, and the UN Environmental Assembly, among others. He has also led social campaigns with corporations like Nike and Dell, and even holds a Guinness World Record for the most straws collected to build an installation - 168,000.
Along the way, he's been featured on a documentary narrated by Ryan Reynolds and built a 40 foot tall installation that was the centerpiece at the United Nations in Nairobi when the Global Plastics Resolution was successfully signed.
Von Wong also contributes as a speaker and consultant, helping organizations strategize creative campaigns that will spur the public into inspired action. From the stage, he has spoken at TEDx, SXSW, Dell World, and more on his creative process, campaign strategies for organizations, and how to create participatory work that moves the world forward.
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From the outset, Von Wong builds marketability into the planning phase of each project or installation. He thinks about the aspects of a project that gain people's attention and keep it, allowing organizations to leverage that attention to create true community impact. When Tomra wanted to create new energy around recycling, he created an installation featuring a mermaid drowning in a sea of 10,000 plastic bottles, raising tens of thousands of dollars for waste pickers.
When Nexus Summit wanted to highlight the problem of fashion waste, he helped design and build The World's Tallest Closet, to represent the number of clothes a Western consumer accumulates over a single lifetime, compelling thousands of people to shed their excess outfits and commit to sustainability.
He has created such campaigns for Dell, Greenpeace, Starbucks and the Government of Canada, and many more -- raising millions of dollars and moving millions of hearts along the way. He is meticulous about documenting his process -- an aspect of his work he also helped pioneer -- to bring viewers along for the ride and get stakeholders worldwide invested in a project's success and excited by his infectious energy. He hopes to continue to make impactful work for years to come.
Formal Headshot, Artistic Headshot, Logo, many many fun shots
