Origami snail leaves record trail

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.