"The rhizome is a map. It's a map of life. This mapping is actually what nature does in following various paths and evaluating their potential. So if you can reveal this process of networking and re-evaluation at the centre of one's own psychology, then you can begin to unveil your own thoughts and all its folds." - Shirazeh Houshiary

Factum Arte worked with artist Shirazeh Houshiary to produce her new body of work for her first solo exhibition in China. 'Rhizome' opened at the Long Museum West Bund in Shanghai on March 6th until May 7th 2023 and was 'a journey through life, incorporating faith, philosophy, maths and physics', using large-scale paintings, sculptures as well as one immersive sound and film installation to illustrate the concept. Houshiary’s work encapsulates ephemeral phenomena, which echo the ever-evolving nature of our physical reality.

Factum Arte worked closely with the artist over a period of six months to materialise the nine architectonic aluminium sculptures that form the site-specific installation Maelstrom (2022). These nine armatures are of different heights (from 49 to 81 cm), varying from 5 to 13 layers, all with the same double-helix shape and formed with building blocks of painted aluminium. The dynamic tension created by the double-helical structures shifts as you move around them.

Houshiary provided Factum with a render of the pieces, and specific instructions relating to the colour order. Once each of the bricks was manufactured, milled and painted, the assembling process involved a mathematically precise template to ensure the rotational angle was perfect. The configuration of these transparent and opaque bricks has a repetitive and rhythmic structure, which imbues them with this continuous movement.

Two smaller sculptures, Just So, completed Factum Arte's production for the exhibition: the works are similar to Aura and Twilight (2020), but with a similar aluminium bricks structure.

The spiralling, crystalline tower Pneuma (2022) was also created for the exhibition, using opaque and clear white and off-white Murano glass bricks. This structure twisted in a helix-like form to over ten feet.

"The universe is in a process of disintegration … everything is in a state of erosion, and yet we try to stabilise it. This tension fascinates me and it’s at the core of my work" - Shirazeh Houshiary