Dutch street artist Frankey has transformed his villa in Zandvoort into a whimsical art installation called "Hubbabubbabuilding," featuring a giant bubble gum sculpture that appears to burst through the building's windows. The eye-catching installation, now listed for sale at $10 million, showcases a four-meter-tall caricature of the artist himself perched on a ladder and blowing an enormous pink chewing gum bubble.
The site-specific installation is located on Boulevard Paulus Loot 103 along the Zandvoort promenade in the Netherlands. The playful sculpture debuted as part of Street Art Zandvoort 2025 and serves as a preview for "Gumballin 2," the highly anticipated sequel to Frankey's successful 2020 solo exhibition. The Amsterdam-based artist has positioned the work as both a residential property and a piece of contemporary art.
On September 8th, 2025, Frankey officially listed the Hubbabubbabuilding on Artsy.net as a work of art rather than a traditional real estate offering. The unique sale comes with strict conditions that the property cannot be altered or inhabited for the next five years. This approach follows in the footsteps of notable art projects like Rachel Whiteread's "House" from 1993 and Banksy's "Well-Hung Lover," positioning architecture as conceptual art.
The installation reflects Frankey's signature style of what he calls "positive interventions" – humorous and unexpected elements designed to reframe the built environment. The cartoonish figure injects absurdity and childlike wonder into Zandvoort's seaside skyline, creating what the artist describes as both a "joyful disruption" and a "whimsical monument." The pink chewing gum bubbles appear to spill dramatically from the villa's windows, creating an optical illusion that delights passersby.
"Chewing gum is perhaps the weirdest product on earth," Frankey explained in discussing his artistic concept. "It's pointless, and maybe that's the point. In its uselessness lies something real: wonder, play, fun." This philosophy underlies much of the artist's work, which seeks to inject moments of joy and surprise into everyday urban environments.
The Hubbabubbabuilding also serves as the official launch for "Gumballin 2," an upcoming exhibition that continues exploring themes from Frankey's earlier work at the Gashouder venue. While his first show positioned bubble gum as a playful material and metaphor for contemporary culture, the sequel promises to delve deeper into the cultural and emotional significance of this ubiquitous yet often overlooked substance.
The four-meter-tall figure captures Frankey mid-bubble, balanced precariously on a ladder high above the street level. This self-portrait element adds a personal dimension to the public art piece, combining street art aesthetics with autobiographical storytelling. The installation invites viewers to pause, smile, and look up from their daily routines to engage with unexpected art in their environment.
Frankey has announced that all proceeds from the villa's sale will be reinvested into future public art projects, ensuring that the commercial success of the piece will generate additional cultural contributions to communities. The sale represents a novel approach to funding street art and public installations, blending the art market with urban intervention strategies. The Hubbabubbabuilding stands as part street art, part self-portrait, and part tribute to childhood wonder, transforming a residential property into a landmark that celebrates the power of play and imagination in public spaces.
