Top 5 expressions of mathematics in art | Mathematics (2024)

Onethingthatmathematiciansfrequentlysaythatmaycomeasasurpriseisthatmathisahighlycreativeenterprise.Onpaper,itmaysometimeslookdryandtechnical,butthethinkinginvolvedindoingmathcallsonthecreativemuse.

It’snowonderthatsomanymathematiciansareinterestedinart,andsomanyartistsareinterestedinmath.Visualartistsandpainters,especially,drawuponmathematicalconceptsintheirworks,andsomeofthemostfamousworksofarthavemathematicalelements.Architecture,sculpture,monumentsandotherformsofartalsoworkwithmathincreativeways.Thereisevenaspecialacademicpublicationdealingwiththesubject,theJournalofMathematicsandtheArts.

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1.VitruvianManbyLeonardodaVinci.Thisextremelyfamoussketchisarenderingoftheproportionsofthemalehumanbody.ItisanexampleoftheRenaissanceobsessionwiththeartisticrepresentationofmathematics.DaVincihimselfiswhatiscalleda“polymath,”whichissomeoneinterestedindrawingfromdiversefieldstosolveproblems.

2.DrippaintingmethodbyJacksonPollock.ThecontemporarypainterJacksonPollockisknownforhischaoticcanvasesthathavesplattersanddripsofdifferentcolouredpaint.Arthistorianshavepointedout,andmathematicianshaveechoed,thewaythathisworksareformsoffractalgeometry,seeminglyrandombuthavingunderlyingsymmetries.However,thereisalsoadisputeamongmathematiciansaboutwhetherPollock'sworksaretrueexpressionsoffractals.

3.GeometryinartbySalvadorDali.TheabsurdistpainterSalvadorDaliwasobsessedwithgeometricshapes.Manyofhisworkshavecones,spheres,rectangles,trianglesandvariousothershapes.Daliissaidtohavebeguneveryworkofartwithageometricshape,andthenbuiltcreativelybasedonhisintuitionofwheretogonext.

​​​​​4.BridgetRiley’sstripepaintings.TheBritishpaintercreatesartthatsometimesappearslikeopticalillusions.TheoristshaveshownthatRiley’sworkdrawsonconceptsofcomplexpatternsandentropyintheconstructionoftheart.Herartissaidtochallengestraightforwardnotionsofmeaningandperspective,buttodosousingstraightforwardsystemsoflinesandgeographicspaceonthecanvas.

5.M.C.Escher’ssurrealartisticspaces.ManywillrecognizeEscher’sendlessstaircasesandscenesthatchallengeeasyunderstanding.MathematicianshavepointedoutthatEscher’sartoftendealswithhyperbolicgeometry.TheartistwasfriendswithandevenworkedonsomeoftheconceptsforhisartwiththeCanadianmathematicianandgeometerHaroldScottMacDonaldCoxeter.

BytheNumbersisaweeklyseriesthatreflectsonthelightersideofstudentlife,researchandinnovationintheFacultyofMathematicsattheUniversityofWaterloo.Staytunedtothisspaceforthenextinstallment.