A little over half a cubic meter of sand was what instructor Jasper Boekbinder brought to the Market Hall on the TU/e campus Tuesday evening. Special young river sand, from a pit on the River Waal at Tiel. In a cubic-shaped mould measuring 50 by 50 by 50 cm the participants' first task is to compact this sand.

The sand grains are angular and the sand holds its shape well. “You wouldn't build a house using round marbles,” explains Boekbinder. “In well-compacted young river sand you can even dig a tunnel.”

Whether the sculpture is a success depends on the ‘art of taking away the excess’. “The sculpture is already in there,” says the instructor. “It is a matter of using the right tool for whatever it is you want to bring out.” Palette knives, putty knives, paintbrushes and, of course, the obvious buckets and spades are the main tools. Anyone who wants to make a spherical shape, uses a ‘Willysphere’.

Boekbinder can explain in detail who developed this tool, but we don't want to go into that right now. We want to see how people work and the results they achieve. Video maker Rien Meulman captured the event for Cursor.

Photo | Rien Meulman