Simon Mensger
(de)fine art
Wdka Willem De Kooning Academy
Graduates: 2025
Specialisms: Photography / Printmaking / Installation/Sculpture
My location: Aachen, Germany
Simon Mensger
First Name: Simon
Last Name: Mensger
University / College: Wdka Willem De Kooning Academy
Course / Program: (de)fine art
Graduates: 2025
Specialisms: Photography / Printmaking / Installation/Sculpture
My Location: Aachen, Germany
Website: Click To See Website
About
Simon Mensger is a photographer and artist researching human intervention in landscapes. He uses photography to document human traces and translates them into lino prints and wooden sculptures. By rethinking how photographs are displayed, he creates tactile and interactive works that invite people to engage with the stories that are embedded in the landscapes.
My graduation work consists of two pieces: a photo book and an interactive installation. The photo book “Van Zwart naar Groen” explores how Limburg’s (the Netherlands) landscape is shaped by human intervention. Once a region defined by coal mining, the governmental effort “Van Zwart naar Groen” shifted the focus towards agriculture. By analysing what people leave behind, we can learn how a society functions and values land. I use photography and lino prints to trace these changes and show how land continues to be exploited in pursuit of economic gain. The cover, engraved in linoleum, and the lino prints, made with modelling paste and acrylic paint, allow the reader to physically experience the traces left in the landscape. To strengthen the connection between the work, theme, and audience, I translated the book’s concept into an interactive wooden sculpture. I carved traces through multiple wooden pieces and assembled them into a marble run. The viewer can touch, feel, play, read, or look, and in this way sense natural resource use on their own terms. Together, both works invite the audience to reflect on land use and its impact on their daily life.
Competitions
