Math + Art

Through Professor Vesna’s lectures, I learned that math and art had already been closely intertwined for centuries: the Greeks used the human figure as the source of proportion for classical proportions in architecture, and Mondrian believed in the use of geometrical shapes and primary colors to express reality and nature. Mathematically driven techniques such as the vanishing point were used to show the exact position and distance of objects from the viewer's eye (Frantz 5). Kate McKinnon’s guest lecture was especially informative, as she emphasized that beadwork follows mathematical ratios and fitting, like the Fibonacci sequence. What intrigued me most was the concept of geometric capture: DNA has resting, energetic, and charged forms, and beads can be used to represent those biological forms!

This all demonstrates the juxtaposition between math, science, and art: math and science contribute to art by giving rise to patterns, architecture, and multidimensional ideas, while art contributes to math and science by providing the opportunity for further exploration through creation and expression. 

http://www.cs.ucf.edu/courses/cap6938-02/refs/VanishingPoints.pdf

This piece, called “River Is,” is a great example of mathematics used in artistic expression. Located in South Korea, the installation models the principle of caustics: the way light refracts on water. This art encompasses both science and math, as it was computationally designed to show facet structures like flowing water. 

https://artcom.de/en/?project=river-is

Edwin Abbott’s Flatland story describes the (forbidden) contact between the two-dimensional and three-dimensional world through characters Square and Sphere, portraying the strict social hierarchy of the Victorian times. In the later chapters, Square was imprisoned for learning about the 3D Spaceland. Perhaps this is symbolic of the separation between art, math, and science– when we choose to separate and disconnect our disciplines, we lock ourselves into a “prison”, stuck in a bottomless pit of narrow-mindedness. This further demonstrates the importance and necessity of the collaboration between math, art, and science in broadening our perspectives and understanding of our world. There is much to be discovered, and we cannot make progress without comprehending the world of different disciplines.

https://planet.okfn.org/category/edwin-abbott-abbott/

 

References 

Abbott, Edwin. “Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions.” N.p., n.d. Web. 

Frantz, Marc. “Lesson 3: Vanishing Points and Looking at Art”. 2000. Web.

McKinnon, Kate. “Contemporary Geometric Beadwork.” Lecture. CoLE DESMA 9. April 5. 2021. Web.

“River Is…” Art+Com Studios. 2012. Web. <https://artcom.de/en/?project=river-is>. 

Vesna, Victoria. “Mathematics.” Lecture. CoLE DESMA 9.  April 10. 2012. Web. 

Comments

  1. ChrisApril 10, 2021 at 2:27 PM

    Wow! I love the "River is" and "Flatland" example you used to illustrate the relationship between math and art. The "forbidden" as you say relationship of 2d and 3d intersecting is a really cool idea and one that shows that things are much deeper than what they seem on the surface! - Chris Chae

    ReplyDelete
  2. Young Seo (Amy) ChoiApril 11, 2021 at 2:01 PM

    Hi Sarah : D I love that you mentioned specific examples of the juxtaposition between art, science and math. Architecture is everywhere, and it clearly shows how these three worlds influence each other. The picture of the art piece "River Is" looks like any other body of water; I never would've suspected that so much technology and science had to go into its creation! -Amy Choi

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