Week 2 \ Math and Art \ Max Ma

Week 2 \ Math and Art \ Max Ma

I was very interested in architecture back in high school, to me, architecture was the fusion of art and mathematics. It was about proportion, relation, function, and aesthetics. Although I was aware of the importance of perspective, I did not acknowledge the origin of it until now. In the lecture, we went over the origin of zero followed by linear perspective.To mention a few examples of math's influence on art and science, Brunelleschi's development of vanishing point. He was known for developing a technique for linear perspective in art. Leonardo Da Vinci and perspective. He stated that "perspective is a rational demonstration by which experience confirms that the image of all things are tramsmitted to the eye by pyramidal lines." He also distinguished artificial perspective and natural perspective. The Golden Ratio of 1 to 1.618 which was applied to the design of the Parthenon and Mona Lisa. These are contributors of perspective,and perspective is the key to art and architecture. There wouldn't be surrealism art without perspective.

Stephen Pitts is an artist who is obsessed with symmetry. His artworks show an insane amount of detail and attention to ratio. All of his mandala drawings are drawn completely freehand with ink. He draws a grid with a pencil, a ruler and a compass. Then he only uses a rapidiograph pen when he begins his actual drawing.I was facinated by him because his artwork is heavily based on mathematics, yet he does not use any software or applications in his work. By using a grid, he is still able to have everything in proportion and scale, he is just very comfortable with doing meticulous work by hand.  

I believe the relationship between art and science/math is like flesh and bone. Of course we can view one separately and ignore the other. But together as a body, they complete each other. It sounds cliche, but it is very true. They are two very different things, yet they influence each other and evolve together.

In my opinion, the Juxtaposing of math, art and science is visible on many topics and levels. Through this week's lecture and readings, I learned the intimate relationship between the three, and how one influenced the other to form the art as we know today.

Citations: 

Says, Dave Auwen, John Knox Says, and Rusty Rushton Says. "Dave Auwen."Symmetrical Universe. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.

Uconlineprogram. "Mathematics-pt1-ZeroPerspectiveGoldenMean.mov."YouTube. YouTube, 09 Apr. 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.