Week 2: Math + Art

Week 2: Math + Art


After processing all the information I gained from this week’s lectures and readings, I feel like I have gained a new understanding of the complex relationship between math and art.

The most interesting example of the intersection between the two fields to me was the golden ratio, described as the “ultimate connection of math and art.” (Vesna 2012) My initial reaction was definitely one of intrigue, as from my previous math classes, the word ratio implied some sort of proportion and spacing such as a number line. As I researched more, I was surprised to learn that the ratio not only applied to art, but also to a variety of fields including, “architecture, painting, and music,” (Esposito 2018) as well.

 
 
One work of art that exemplified the golden ratio of 1.618 was Salvador Dali’s painting, “Sacrament of the Last Supper” which “incorporated a huge dodecahedron (a twelve-faced Platonic solid in which each side is a pentagon) engulfing the supper table.” (Livio 2022) This was crucial as the dodecahedron encapsulates the “Last Supper” emphasizing a sense of balance that illuminates Dali’s desire to connect the painting with the divine. Moreover, the use of the golden ratio can be seen with the separation of the twelve apostles that creates a sense of harmony between the figures that further highlights the religious nature of the painting.

As mentioned earlier, the golden ratio also impacted some of the most well known architecture including the Parthenon as well hundreds of others. Its impact can not be overstated, reflected by the quote ”Many buildings that feature evenly spaced columns are often considered a nod to the ratio and its tenure with the ancient Greeks,” (Westbury 2023) showing how the ratio and its desire to capture beauty within humans has transcended a simple mathematical number.

Ultimately, I learned that math and art are more intertwined than I ever imagined illustrated by the quote, “artists almost always use at least one mathematical concept while working on a piece.” (Wachter 2022) The neat part is that the golden ratio is just one of many uses of math. There's so much more, including vanishing points and visual art that blur the line between math and art.

References:

Vesna , Victoria. “Mathematics-PT1-ZeroPerspectiveGoldenMean.Mov.” YouTube, YouTube, 9 Apr. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmq5B1LKDg.

Esposito, Emily. “The Golden Ratio - What It Is and How to Use It in Design.” The Golden Ratio - What It Is and How to Use It in Design, www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/golden-ratio-designers/. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024.

Livio , Mario. “The Golden Ratio and Aesthetics.” Plus Maths, 1 Nov. 1970, plus.maths.org/content/golden-ratio-and-aesthetics.

“Does the Golden Ratio Really Make Buildings More Beautiful?” Westbury Windows and Joinery , 16 June 2023, https://westburyjoinery.com/blog/golden-ratio-architecture/. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024.

Wachter, Sue. “The Connection between Math and Art.” Demme Learning, 19 July 2023, demmelearning.com/blog/math-art-connection/.

Cowan , Emma. Mathematical Art: Exploring the Intersection of Art and Math. Emma Teaches Art, https://emmateachesart.com/2023/11/22/mathematical-art-exploring-the-intersection-of-art-and-math/. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024.

Dali , Salvador. The Sacrament of the Last Supper, 1955. National Gallery of Art, https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.46590.html. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024.

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Parthenon. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024.

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Event 3: 24 Unplug Challenge

I decided to partake in the 24 hour unplug electronic challenge which began on Thursday. Thursday was a good day to do this challenge as I had no classes that day and with only one in person final the following Wednesday I felt that I could afford to take a break from work and studying. After waking up at my usual 8:30ish AM, which is normally the time I wake up to walk my dog, my inability to look on my phone left me feeling unmotivated to start my day so I simply went back to sleep. In general, I’m a pretty lethargic person who enjoys lots of sleep and am usually only prompted out of bed if there's something urgent I have to do such as attending a class. I eventually awoke at around 10 and then walked my dog. Normally when I walk my dog I am looking at my phone for the majority of the time, so without it I definitely felt like I spent more time looking at my surroundings in my neighborhood. Since it was already close to Noon, I decided to skip out on eating breakfast and just wai...
Read more

Week 1: Two Cultures

Image
Week 1: Two Cultures 4/5/2024 Tristan Ngo  After reading this week’s material, I gained a profound understanding of the intersection between art, science, and technology. Specifically through Prof Vesna’s insightful article “Toward a Third Culture: Being in between,' I learned of the long standing divide between science and humanities and how technology can be a key in reconciling those differences and finding a common ground where both can benefit from each other. For instance, Vesna states “Artists using technology are uniquely positioned in the middle of the scientific and and literary/philosophical communities and are allowed poetic license, which gives us the freedom to reinforce the delicate bridge and indeed contribute tt the creation of a new, mutant third culture” (Vesna 122), demonstrating the impactful role that artists can have in translating the complex scientific knowledge to the realm of humanities. A similar sentiment is echoed in C.P. Snow’s article, “The Two Cultu...
Read more

Week 9: Space + Art

Image
For centuries, space has been one of the most discussed and redefined topics that has governed our universe. It has been at the forefront of many new discoveries as countries aim to gain a better understanding of something whose scale dwarfs that of Earth. An example is Copernicus, who published a heliocentric idea of the solar system where the sun was in the center of the system, however because of the possible backlash from the church he never pursued the idea. (Vesna) What makes space unique is its ability to connect and create competition between different countries from all parts of the globe. A prime example is the Space race between the US and Russia that prompted inventions such as the Sputnik which prompted fear in the U.S. (Vesna) The intersection of space and art can be seen in everyday life. An example is the artist Alan Bean who drew inspiration from his experiences on the moon and launched an exhibition of his paintings at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington....
Read more