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Origami snail leaves record trail
2023-06-01 
Pei Haozheng found inspiration from the Fibonacci sequence to design the captivating snail-themed artwork. CHINA DAILY

Meter-high paper sculpture, made of traditional Nanjing gold foil, snatches Guinness world title, reports Li Yingxue.

In a remarkable feat of creativity and craftsmanship, origamist Pei Haozheng and his skilled team have captured the audience's attention with a unique creation — a larger-than-life origami snail.

Using an impressive 9.21-meter-long sheet of gold-foil paper, weighing 50 kilograms and taking three months to make, they meticulously molded this masterpiece, named Fibonacci Snail, over three intense days at a venue in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.

This magnificent snail — a single, coherent structure crafted without any cutting or pasting — stands proud at 4.1 meters in length, 1.47 meters in width and 1.3 meters in height, earning it the title of the world's largest origami snail, certified by Guinness World Records on March 11.

The team of eight who created it includes professionals such as Du Jialei, an Olympic bronze medalist, Xu Yixuan, an architectural design graduate from University College London, as well as mathematics teachers, engineers and other experts who are proficient in the art of origami.

The work is recognized as the largest origami snail, certified by Guinness World Records. CHINA DAILY

According to Pei, prior to the three-day folding session, there were preliminary procedures — such as paper production, testing, cutting and measurement — which spanned over three months.

After the folding was completed, there were additional post-processing steps, including shaping, testing and adjusting structural integrity, as well as preparing for exhibition, he adds.

Born in 1996 in Nanjing, Pei started folding paper when he was in kindergarten. He says the design inspiration for this captivating snail-themed artwork derives from the Fibonacci sequence.

Discovered by the Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci, this sequence begins with the numbers 0 and 1, with each subsequent number being the sum of the two preceding ones.

The pervasive presence of Fibonacci's numbers can be observed throughout the natural world, from the graceful patterns of plant growth and the elegant spirals found in seashells to the intricate framework of the human skeletal system and even the mysterious realms of celestial black holes. Consequently, the artistic depiction of the Fibonacci spiral, born from this sequence, is often hailed as a testament to the intricate beauty known as "God's fingerprint".

"In 2009, I encountered this sequence for the first time, and I was filled with a sense of wonder," Pei explains.

The artwork has a permanent home in China's Gaochun International Cittaslow in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. CHINA DAILY

"Inspired by it, I folded a simple snail using the art of origami, which became the prototype for Fibonacci Snail. The defining feature they share is the spiral-shaped shell, akin to the Fibonacci spiral."

He continues, "This artwork represents the interdisciplinary fusion of origami art and geometric mathematics, serving as a rational depiction of our appreciation for the aesthetics of nature".

Making a giant paper snail isn't easy. Before undertaking the actual folding of this artwork, Pei conducted a meticulous test in the form of a miniature version, serving as an ideal prototype for assessment.

One of the challenges lies in the fact that once the paper becomes enormous, its two-dimensional properties weaken, transforming it into a fragile, lopsided three-dimensional object.

"This presents immense difficulties in manipulation. Even the simplest segment can easily become deformed," Pei explains.

Another challenge is the significant deviation the final version took from the prototype, leading to numerous unforeseen issues. For example, when the thickness accumulates to a certain extent, the paper may abruptly spring open, creating substantial gaps.

It took a team of eight people three days to finish the folding of the meter-high paper sculpture. CHINA DAILY

Pei adds that the stylistic challenge of this artwork lies in the need to fold the rotating and interlocking spiral shell layer by layer, following the pattern of the Fibonacci sequence.

The paper must achieve a self-locking state, meaning it should maintain structural stability and tightness without relying on external forces.

Faced with such challenges, Pei embarked on numerous calculations, analysis, experiments and adjustments. Only then did he successfully design a structurally sound and aesthetically stable artwork, ensuring that it maintained its enormous volume while possessing intricate details and exceptional precision.

Pei also invited an expert team to provide scientific analysis, surveying and calculations as professional guidance for his Guinness World Record push.

Russian origami engineer Andrey Ermakov, one of the experts on the team, says, "Creating a 3D origami piece with such a complex spiral structure demands an incredible level of creativity, precision and patience. It embodies the allure of folding and stands as a genuine masterpiece".

Earlier this month, this innovative artwork found a permanent home in China's Gaochun International Cittaslow in Nanjing.

Nanjing is also the origin of Chinese gold foil. In 2006, Nanjing's gold-foil forging technique was included in the government's first national intangible cultural heritage list.

The crafting process of the paper is a meticulous art, in which thousands upon thousands of gold-foil pieces are painstakingly applied by hand onto the surface of cowhide paper.

The paper's dual sides not only correspond well to the snail's shell and body, but also create a striking contrast between the rustic hues of handmade paper pulp and the resplendent, golden shimmer of the foil.

"In addition to being an intangible cultural heritage, gold-foil paper also symbolizes the preciousness and beauty deep within people's hearts.

"Therefore, I hope that everyone who sees this artwork can perceive the flickering light within their own hearts, pursue their most sincere and genuine passions, and cherish every precious moment in their lives," Pei says.

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