A Factum Arte team, led by Damián López, Jacinto de Manuel and Juan Manuel Martinez constructed Exuviae, a 2,80m tall glass sculpture designed by Shirazeh Houshiary. This sculpture was made using custom-built Murano glass bricks designed by the artist for this work.

The shape of Exuviae was formed by layering 74 rows of 10 glass bricks each. Each row was secured with a stainless steel ring that was routed at Factum Arte in gradually changing shapes to achieve the helical form of the sculpture.The structure was built on top of a millimetre stainless steel base, further reinforced with wire rope.

The sculpture was constructed by creating six groups of 10 rows each and one group of 14 rows. These sections were mounted on top of each other, building up progressively the height of the sculpture. The stability of this works depends on the precise positioning and alignment of each brick.

In the glass brick sculptures, Houshiary explores the notion of transparency and the possibility of transcending three-dimensional space. Transparent bricks play an essential role in supporting the structure of the work but also function as a sign of absence or void.

 

 

 

The sculpture’s helical form, created through the careful rotation of each layer at precise angles, produces a spiralling effect appearing to stretch and pull into infinite space. This interplay between form and formlessness is an essential theme in Houshiary’s work.