Nicole Chuhak
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| Example of vanishing points |
At first thought, art and math are polar
opposites; art is all about being free to express things however you see fit,
whereas math is full of strict rules and principles. But, as we saw in this
week’s lesson, art and math have been closely linked for hundreds of years. Math
is used in art techniques such as the vanishing point described by Frantz, spatial
art as described by Escher, and the book/film Flatland originally constructed by Abbott.
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| The Garvagh Madonna |
One example can be seen at the right,
where the golden rectangle can be seen in this famous piece by Raphael, which
was painted in the first decade of the 16th century. The golden
triangle, and its corresponding Fibonacci circle, is used by artists to draw
the eyes, as well as play to the idea that the golden ratio is extremely
pleasing to the eye of the observer.
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| Flatland film poster |
This week I have
learned just how important math is to art and how it has played such a large
role in art over the centuries. I found it most insightful when mathematics was
described as its own language, thus it has its own unique influences on art. The Da Vinci Code is one example of how
the language of math was used literally as its own language to influence the
story of the work.
Art and Science can be
described as the visual representations of mathematics. Without mathematics, art
and science would not be what they are today. Congruently, without art and
science, mathematics would just be equations and theorems with no applications.
The two need each other, to be relevant.
Sources:
Abbott, Edwin. Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions. 1884. Print.
Escher. "The Mathematical Art of M.C. Escher." The Mathematical Art of M.C. Escher. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
Frantz, Marc. "Lesson 3: Vanishing Points and Looking at Art." 2000.
Reich, Dan. "THE FIBONACCI SEQUENCE, SPIRALS AND THE GOLDEN MEAN." THE FIBONACCI SEQUENCE, SPIRALS AND THE GOLDEN MEAN. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.
Vesna, Victoria. "Art+Math." DESMA 9, Apr. 2015. Lecture.
I like how you pointed out that math is a language, and how it was used literally as a language in the Da Vinci Code. The pictures that you chose are also cool because they trace out how geometry is used in visual arts.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the example that you gave to demonstrate the combination of art and mathematics in one of the most recognizable paintings around the world. I believe that knowing that some of the greatest artists in history, such as Raphael, incorporate mathematical concepts validates the importance of mathematics in art, and vice versa. Although paintings are an important part of art, there are also other factors that make up art. You noted the use of mathematics in literature, but it should also be noted that mathematics can be found in other artistic mediums such as architecture, sculptures, photography, music, and film. I do not entirely agree with your comment that art and mathematics need each other in order to be relevant. I believe that art and science by themselves can still be relevant such as written plays that have nothing to do with science or science experiments that having nothing to do with art, but I do think that the two can most certainly enhance each other.
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