Richard Mens

Newspaper is weightless volume, according to Richard Mens. To him working with balls of old newspaper is an exploration. The adding, taking away and shaping of the material can be compared to sculpting in clay or wax.. In contrast, dry balls of newsprint have tough characters. They give his sculptures a rough and sketchy appearance. He prefers black and white newspaper balls made by making a careful selection of the newspapers. Adhesive tape plays another important roll in shaping his sculptures. Not just taping, but there is also the possibility of constricting the material and creating muscles. The tape is a necessity, but it is also a positive addition to the appearance of his work.