Math and Art: The Perfect Marriage

 I have always appreciated how art and mathematics have been intertwined, but until doing this week’s readings I did not really understand how besides geometric visuals. The realization of perspectives and ratios opened so many avenues for new art to be created, just by its use and various interpretations of new dimensions and mediums. In the same breath, I enjoyed Linda Henderson’s article on how art and science have evolved hand in hand. 

 

One of the most popular pieces of art, the Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci utilized the concept of the golden ratio which we discussed in lecture to create appealing facial and body proportions, and Gustave Caillebotte’sParis Street, A Rainy Day actively used linear perspectives. The golden ratio has an aesthetic appeal and has prominent use in art and architecture dating back to the Greek ages. While both artists did show some revolutionary application of mathematics, their intention was not to highlight the concept, as mentioned by Tony Robbin in the Henderson article.

 

 

The discussion of the fourth dimension was fascinating, with artists’ goal of spatial representation coming to clash with Einstein’s theory of relativity. It must have begged the question of a bystander at the time as to what the dimension really is, and again produced new forms. I saw a parallel between that age and now, in how a new avenue, be it a dimension, or a medium, sparks a wave of new artistic concepts. Today, now that we have the technological capability to define the uniqueness of digital art through NFTs, a whole movement of digital creators have been inspired to pursue this medium. They are also forming factions as ‘believers’ and ‘non-believers’, making communities around themes (NFT communities) and reveling in the access to opportunity it has given them.

 

 

Sources

Cooper, L. (2019, August 10). Art and mathematics. Medium. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://medium.com/nice-slice/art-and-mathematics-a2677a515450 

Hilder, R. (2021, March 25). A designer's guide to the golden ratio. Creative Bloq. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.creativebloq.com/design/designers-guide-golden-ratio-12121546 

Henderson, L. D. (1984). The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean geometry in modern art: Conclusion. Leonardo, 17(3), 205. https://doi.org/10.2307/1575193 

NFTexplained.info. (2021, October 5). What is meant by "community" in an NFT project? – complete guide. NFTexplained.info. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://nftexplained.info/what-is-meant-by-community-in-an-nft-project-complete-guide/ 

How nfts are disrupting the art world. Business Today. (n.d.). Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/luxury-lifestyle/story/how-nfts-are-disrupting-the-art-world-321706-2022-02-15