Roots 2016

Rodrigo Franzao made this object, called Roots, out of paper, wire, and who knows what else. What strikes me first is the process – how the materials are built up, torn away, and kind of spilling out. The wire, it's like hair, or maybe veins, growing out from the center. There’s this tension between the rigid square form and the unruly, organic shapes that burst out. The colors are muted, mostly whites and browns, but then there’s that shock of deep red inside, like a secret, raw core. Look at the way the paper is layered and frayed around the central opening. It’s so tactile, almost like you could peel it away. That opening feels like a wound, or maybe a passage to somewhere else. It reminds me a little of Kurt Schwitters, the way he used found materials to create these assemblages that feel both chaotic and carefully constructed. Ultimately, this piece feels very open, like an invitation to explore your own ideas about growth, decay, and what lies beneath the surface.