From January 9 to January 23, 2025, Nelson Saiers—artist, mathematician, and former hedge fund manager—brings his visionary exhibition, Decoding the Infinite, to The Canvas 3.0 at the Oculus World Trade Center in New York City. The show delves into the intersections of art, mathematics, and history, challenging the boundaries of representation through abstract symbolism.
Located within the iconic Oculus at the World Trade Center, The Canvas 3.0 is renowned for its innovative approach to blending physical and digital art spaces. This gallery has consistently pushed the boundaries of artistic expression, curating exhibitions that spark dialogue between diverse perspectives. By selecting Saiers’ work for its 2025 opening show, The Canvas 3.0 reaffirms its commitment to hosting artists whose visions transcend traditional mediums and genres.
Saiers’ path to the art world is as unconventional as inspiring. Earning a Ph.D. in mathematics by age 23, Saiers initially made his mark as a hedge fund manager before transitioning into full-time artistry. His mathematical expertise informs every element of his work, allowing him to craft pieces deeply rooted in logic while resonating with profound aesthetic beauty.
Decoding the Infinite consists of 15 meticulously crafted works, each created over four years. These pieces explore themes as varied as military history, pop culture, and the volatile world of Wall Street, all with mathematics at their core. Saiers uses abstract symbols, visual metaphors, and analogies to layer complex ideas into stunning visual narratives.
“A mathematician is a person who can find analogies between theorems; … one can imagine that the ultimate mathematician can see analogies between analogies.” This insightful quote perfectly encapsulates the essence of Nelson Saiers’ work—a polymath and artist who masterfully intertwines mathematics, art, and narrative into his thought-provoking creations.
One of the exhibition’s highlights is What is Left (3), a piece inspired by the 100 Years War and the War of the Roses. Saiers employs advanced mathematical theories such as sheaf cohomology, the Cousin Problems, and Cech cohomology to tell the story of these chaotic historical periods. The work captures the turbulence of the English crown’s frequent shifts, with the term “check” referencing both chess and the precarious power dynamics of the time, typically between cousins. A sister piece to one displayed in London in 2022 to commemorate the 600th anniversary of Henry 5th’s death. It starts by representing an episode where he was shot in the left side of his face by an arrow at Shrewsbury (many feel the arrow was likely deflected before entering his face) and depicted with a diagram over his face that hints at an injective object, a mathematical construct central to sheaf cohomology. As mentioned above, the term sheaf (sheaf of arrows) and the mathematical arrows that make up the illustration point to the longbow (a crucial weapon for the English) and the episode. The Cousin problems relate to sheafs and sheaf cohomology and also refer to these periods in history where cousins battled for power.
Saiers’ ability to draw parallels between seemingly disparate subjects is a hallmark of his artistry. From the battlefield to the trading floor, his work interrogates themes of conflict, strategy, and the human condition. By incorporating pop culture and historical imagery elements into his pieces, Saiers invites viewers to explore the broader implications of mathematical principles in shaping human history.
Saiers’ art is not merely visual—it is intellectual, offering layers of meaning that reward careful contemplation. Each piece is a testament to Saiers’ polymathic approach, combining his expertise in mathematics with his passion for storytelling. Through his work, Saiers demonstrates that art can be a powerful medium for exploring complex ideas, encouraging audiences to engage with topics that might otherwise feel inaccessible.
Nelson Saiers’ Decoding the Infinite is more than an exhibition—it invites us to think differently about the world around us. Whether you are drawn to the precision of mathematics, the richness of history, or the emotive power of art, this collection offers something for everyone. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness this visionary artist’s exploration of the infinite at The Canvas 3.0 this January.
Published by Mark V.
