Week 2 Blog: Math + Art


Mathematics is a fundamental part of science that is closely linked to the creation of art works, serving as a common language that both disciplines use to express and decipher complex ideas and phenomena. Such intersection is brilliantly demonstrated in Edwin A. Abbott’s "Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions," where mathematical dimensions are used to represent societal structuring and visual perception. His discussion applies mathematical concepts to the social fields and illustrates how higher-dimensional thinking aids our understanding of the visual reality. Likewise, artists like M.C. Escher utilize mathematical rules to create art works that visually challenge our perceptions of space and reality. His artwork "Relativity" uses physically unachievable structures and explores different visual and gravitational orientations, adeptly using the principles of geometry to promote viewers' meditation over the flexibility of space and reality.


On the forefront of science is the indispensable field of mathematics composed of principles and formulas that describe the natural world. In art, mathematics improves visual accuracy as artists manipulate concepts of geometry, proportion, and symmetry to enhance visual harmony and balance, as seen in Leonardo da Vinci’s "Vitruvian Man," providing insights into human body proportions by referring to the golden ratio, which is a concept widely used in both pattern drawing and architectural designs.

In my opinion, the associative relationship between mathematics and art we learned this week informs the broad applicability of mathematical principles across different artistic fields. Not only does it promote creativity and accuracy in art works,  but it also deepens our appreciation of the environments we are surrounded by. It is through this incorporative approach I learned this week that I am able to gain a deeper appreciation of how essential mathematics is for the formation and exploration of the visual reality, which lends force to our pursuit and expression of both the known and unknown universe in artistic forms.





Reference Links:

1. https://www.artfulmaths.com/mathematical-art-lessons.html

2. https://www.dirtalleydesign.com/blogs/news/programming-numbers-and-art-making-generative-designs

3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJzd9dMSNdw&ab_channel=ArtJohn

4. https://www.superprof.co.in/blog/maths-help-with-painting/

5. https://medium.com/@twothirdsmath/unveiling-the-marvels-of-mathematical-art-76a41a3c44fb

6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relativity_%28M._C._Escher%29

7. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vitruvian-man



Comments

  1. Shania HaoApril 14, 2024 at 6:51 PM

    Hi Tiffany,
    I think you described everything very well! The first image above displays this concept of the fourth dimension in art very well. The design of the staircases being on different sides of the wall as well as the floor is very aesthetically pleasing, though it is not physically possible due to gravity. Art allows us to imagine very interesting concepts that may not be possible in our world, but it makes the limits of art much higher in some regards. In artwork, we are limited to our imagination, which our understanding mathematics and geometry only enhances.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ramseysuarezDESMA9April 14, 2024 at 8:01 PM

    Hey Tiffany,
    I think your insights are spot on! The artwork "Relativity" by M.C. Escher is an excellent example of the complex relationship that exists between mathematics and art. His artwork challenges our views of reality and space through captivating structures that skillfully use mathematical ideas. It's cool how art can challenge the limits of what is practical and encourage spectators to consider how flexible reality and space can be. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on mathematics and art!

    ReplyDelete

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