The Unexpected Juxtaposition

Mathematics has influenced art and science in ways we may not recognize in our every day lives. Everything around us can be brought back to math and every organism, in its natural beauty, is representative of patterns and equations. This point of view comes from Maximillian Cohen in this week’s lecture (Vesna, Unit 2). It is also evident that math can be used very clearly in works of art, at their core they are all systems of mathematics but to the eye they are very beautiful such as the work done by Charles Csuri(“Charles Csuri”). Similarly, art in nature may seem simple and unassuming but in fact often include complex geometric shapes such as the hyperbolic geometry seen in coral represented through the Crochet Coral Reef project(“About the Project | Crochet Coral Reef”). 

(Bascom)

The artist Charles Csuri was very interesting to me as he worked with producing both abstract and figurative art through science and math. A lot of his pieces represent balance and symmetry in some ways and more fluidity in other ways which is very similar to how we see shapes in nature. We look at the shape of a leaf and it is symmetrical on either side but it also takes on a fluid shape produced by the patterns natural to organisms. 

(Csuri)

This week I learned that artists and scientists use mathematics to express their creativity by creating what has been imagined or theorized represented visually or physically through the use of patterns and equations. Proportions, vision,and geometry are examples of math in art and science that we see everyday. This makes me think of the structure of the curls in my hair and how I do not give it thought, but there are many geometric structures that lead to its form and it is represented as a spiral coil created by nature. Math can be used to create abstract concepts such as moving lights and patterns through complex mathematical systems such as the art installation “Resonance”(“Computational Reflectives”).

(ART+COM Studios)

I believe that the juxtaposition of math, art and science can be tied to this weeks readings and the example of the penny. We can look at art and nature from the simple point of view, or we can understand that it is backed by math and patterns. We can reduce everything to numbers, everything looks the same from a certain point of view just like the penny on its side(“Flatland, by E. A. Abbott, 1884”). 

Works Cited

“About the Project | Crochet Coral Reef.” Crochetcoralreef.org, crochetcoralreef.org/about/theproject/.

ART+COM Studios. “Mobility,” ART+COM Studios. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.

Bascom, Jenna. “Coral Forest,” Crochet Coral Reef. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.

“Charles Csuri.” Charles Csuri, www.charlescsuri.com/. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.

“Computational Reflectives.” Artcom.de, artcom.de/en/?research_focus=computational-reflectives. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.

Csuri, Charles. “Rainbow Light One,” Art, 1989-2010, www.charlescsuri.com/early-2000s. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.

“Flatland, by E. A. Abbott, 1884.” Www.ibiblio.org, www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/eaa/FL.HTM.

Vesna, Victoria. Unit 2.