Week 2 Math + Art

The Golden Section was used extensively by Leonardo Da Vinci. In online lecture of Math + Art, Professor Vesna gave an example based on the Golden Ratio and the Vitruvian man, which described how mathematics influences art. Linda Henderson introduced the fourth dimension in her article “The Fourth Dimension and non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art”. She stated that the fourth dimension was considered as higher dimensions that would take art further than it had before. Artists began to include higher dimensions such as time in their work and created more vivid artwork. 

In Da Vinci's "The Annunciation" that the brick wall of the courtyard is in golden ratio proportion to top and bottom of the painting
www.goldennumber.net/art-composition-design/


Origami is another example that links mathematics and art together. Origami artists create lines by folding paper. According Julie, mathematicians recently found that it is possible to divide an angle into three equal parts by folding paper rather using a straightedge and compass. 

When unfolded, the green lines trisect the original angle. The red lines show where the paper was folded
www.sciencenews.org/article/trisecting-angle-origami


Some artists also created their artwork with strong technical and mathematical backgrounds. Robert Lang, being one of the world’s leading origami masters, is also a physicist and engineer. He is a pioneer of the cross-disciplinary marriage of origami with mathematics. Erik Demaine, a professor of computer science at MIT, has done seminal work in the field of computational origami and created abstract origami sculptures representing complex mathematical algorithms.

David Huffman, with one of his paper foldings, in 1978
news.ucsc.edu/2012/03/origami-exhibit.html


Being an engineering student, I work with mathematical concepts, geometries, and engineering graphs everyday but I have never connected them with art. After taking this lecture and reading the course materials, I realize that the connection between mathematics and art is fascinating!








References

Da Vinci, Leonardo. The Annunciation. 1475. The Uffizi Gallery, Florence. The Golden Number, www.goldennumber.net/art-composition-design/. Accessed 17 April 2017.

Henderson, Linda Dalrymple. “The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art: Conclusion.” Leonardo. 17.3 (1984): 205-210. Print.

Meisner, Gary. "Golden Ratio in Art Composition and Design." Goldennumber.net. N.p., 4 May 2014. Web. 17 Apr. 2017. www.goldennumber.net/art-composition-design/.

Rehmeyer, Julie. "Trisecting an Angle with Origami." Science News. N.p., 23 Sept. 2013. Web. 17 Apr. 2017. www.sciencenews.org/article/trisecting-angle-origami.
Stephens, Tim. "Origami exhibit at Cowell College opens April 8 with public talks." UC Santa Cruz News. N.p., 8 Mar. 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2017. news.ucsc.edu/2012/03/origami-exhibit.html.

Vesna, Victoria. “Mathematics-pt1-ZeroPerspectiveGoldenMean.mov.” Cole UC online. Youtube, 9 April 2012. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmq5B1LKDg&feature=player_embedded

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