Week 2 Blog
Mathematics and the Arts
This week's lecture and readings have shown me how mathematics have influenced art and science, even though they tend to be seen on two completely different scales, which explains juxtaposition. Instead of being compared, the realms of mathematics, arts, and sciences actually influence one another and play a major role for one another.
Leonardo da Vinci used mathematical formulas to create his art. As said in the Lecture Video, his geometric formula found a way to, "distinguish artificial and natural perspective," (Vesna) by using art and mathematics in a single concept. Before watching this video, I didn't that da Vinci used mathematics to create some of his famous pieces, including the Vitruvian Man, the Mona Lisa, and The Last Supper.
In Flatland, Edwin A. Abbott speaks about how we can see the world as more than just a normal flat and straight line. He states that, "the first means of recognition is the sense of hearing." (Abbott 5). Being able to distinguish different sounds through the sense of hearing allows us to visualize different perspectives. This is presented in the orchestra performance, Four Dimensions, as we are able to see how the mathematical number of beats display different colors, shapes, and light. For example, "zero (0n'off), one (points become lines), two (lines become planes), three (planes become volumes), and four (volumes enter an imperceptible fourth dimension)." (Four Dimensions). This example shows how mathematics influences ore than just paintings, but also influences visual performances.
In the Intro Video, Professor Vesna states how mathematics is "driving our reality through computers," (Vesna), which can directly be applies to the works of Charles Csuri. His use of technology and the "mechanical pantograph" allows for "infinite artistic possibilities." (Charles Csuri). When scrolling through his Beyond Boundaries exhibition, the image that really caught my attention was the Balancing Act 2000, Cibachrome print. This image displays multiple dimensions and light in a way that is almost impossible to draw or paint.
Vesna explains how, "painting has three principal parts, which we say are drawing, proportion, and coloring," (Lecture Video 17:38). Beyond these principles there is a free realm for creativity and expression which is why there are an infinite amount of art styles and techniques. Scientists and artists use mathematics in the same concept and apply it to their work in their own unique ways.
Resources
Abbott, Edwin A. “Section 5: Of Our Methods of Recognizing One Another.” Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, second revised edition ed., 1884.
Charles Csuri, CsuriVision Ltd., https://www.charlescsuri.com/ .
Csuri, Charles A. “Balancing Act 2000, Cibachrome print size 65” x 48”.” Charles Csuri, https://www.charlescsuri.com/exclusive?itemId=mzogu3qnej5o497v0jv53wzt6xee3r . Accessed 12 Apr. 2023.
“Four Dimensions.” Nathan Selikoff, 20 June 2013, https://www.nathanselikoff.com/works/four-dimensions .
Lay, Keith, director. Four Dimensions for Orchestra, EWI and Laptop. YouTube, YouTube, 1 June 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_d8pMxm8Ns . Accessed 12 Apr. 2023.
Vesna, Victoria. Mathematics-pt1-ZeroPerspectiveGoldenMean.mov. Youtube, UC Online, 9 April. 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmq5B1LKDg . Accessed 12 Apr. 2023
Vesna, Victoria. Math Intro. Youtube, UC Online, 26 Mar. 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHiL9iskUWM . Accessed 12 Apr. 2023
Vinci, Leonardo da. “Mona Lisa .” The Art of Maths, 2019, https://artofmaths.eu/the-mathematics-in-art/. Accessed 12 Apr. 2023.
Week 2 Blog
Hey Jayden, I loved reading your response! I also did not know Da Vinci used math to create his famous artworks. I think computers play a huge role in how art and math is connected. I think all three of them, math, science, and art all intersect and influence each other. In my blog, I talked about how vision occurs in the brain and not in the eyes and I see you talked about hearing allows us to visualize different perspectives. Great work!
ReplyDeleteHey Jayden, I very much agree with the link you made between the usage of our senses outside of sight such as hearing and how they can be used to visualize different perspectives and how this tool can influence the why in which art is portrayed and transferred onto a two dimensional canvas. It is also interesting thinking about how mathematics plays a different role between all of the senses we use.
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