Artist Lyndon J. Barrois Sr. turns chewing gum wrappers into World Cup miniatures for a Los Angeles exhibit

Lyndon J. Barrois Sr., a Los Angeles artist who makes sculptures from everyday materials, is drawing attention to his latest exhibition featuring soccer players fashioned from chewing gum wrappers and other small scraps. The work, presented under the title “Fútbol Is Life: Animated Sportraits,” uses tiny pieces of paper and foil, built into relief-like figures that depict recognizable moments from soccer’s biggest tournament.

In an interview with CBS News, Barrois described the chewing gum wrapper as his medium of choice. He said he painstakingly sculpts the wrappers to create images of players and match scenes, turning the wrappers into durable, shaped components intended to hold the look and energy of the sport despite their small size.

The exhibit’s theme focuses on nearly 100 years of World Cup history, with the works intended to capture iconic moments across the tournament’s timeline. According to the report, the pieces are designed as “animated sportraits,” a description Barrois uses for the way the small, layered materials suggest motion and personality even at a miniature scale.

Barrois’s process emphasizes careful preparation of scrap materials. CBS News reported that the sculptures incorporate tiny pieces of paper and foil alongside the wrappers, which together allow him to form figures and details for a series that spans decades of soccer imagery.

The exhibition is presented in Los Angeles, where visitors can view the collection in person rather than through a single digital display. The CBS News segment framed the show as a local presentation of a niche craft, centered on the transformation of common household refuse into structured artwork connected to an international sports tradition.

For audiences, the show offers a household-to-gallery pathway that also reflects broader questions about materials and preservation, since wrappers and foil are typically viewed as disposable. The works’ emphasis on World Cup moments also means the gallery presentation functions as a cultural memory project, connecting fans and families who recognize the tournament’s history to a craft medium that is unexpected and familiar at the same time.

The CBS News report did not provide additional details such as the exact gallery name, dates of display, or whether the exhibit has planned travel to other cities. Visitors seeking the most current information are expected to consult the exhibition’s local listing or the venue’s public schedule once posted.