Richard Sweeney Creates Amazing Fluid Paper Sculptures

Image via richardsweeney3 /Instagram

The works of artist Richard Sweeney are all about fluidity. He manages to bend paper to create amazing paper sculptures that look like they have been caught in motion at the perfect time.

Sweeney creates the sculptures but doesn’t provide the context. Instead, he lets the viewers uncover the mystery themselves and decide what the piece represents. Most of the time, each viewer sees something different and experiences the sculpture in a unique way.

“People see different things—animal skulls and a spinal column being a few of my favorites mentioned so far,” he shared in a recent chat with Colossal.

Sweeney has a unique approach to the creative process behind his intriguing pieces. When in need of an idea, he takes long walks in the countryside to see what will capture his attention. This could be a bird, an interesting cloud formation, or even ground formations.

After finding something inspiring, he takes a photograph and makes a rough sketch of the scene. From there, he starts crafting the sculpture while letting it take shape organically. 

“I don’t usually work with a particular form in mind,” Sweeney explains while adding that his pieces usually take several weeks to take their final form.

Check out more of his paper sculptures below.