Week 2: Math + Art

I remember the first time I noticed how deeply ingrained mathematics is in art, sculpture and the design world in general. I was watching 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull', and I came across the fabled Nazca Lines. These lines built thousand of years ago only make sense if seen from above, but the people who built them had no way of flying at that time. This indicates careful mathematics involved in their design and implementation, as they essentially could not see the 'big picture' of what they were making.^[1]  I was so fascinated by this phenomenon that on further research I began seeing mathematical patterns in the design of all wonders of the world, indicating that mathematics has been deeply ingrained in art and design for millennia.

A part of the fabled 'Nazca Lines'

Both art and science have multiple concepts and theories that can only be properly evaluated through mathematics. For example, depth and dimension, as explained by Linda Henderson^[2], can only be accurately represented in works of art through careful mathematical interpretation. However, the one point I'd like to make here is that this mathematical interpretation is sometimes intuitive for artists and they do not realize that they're using it as heavily as they do.^[4]

Dimensions being represented in Art through Intuitive Math

There is only one artist that comes to mind when you think about the combination of art, science and math. Clearly, Leonardo Da Vinci was a visionary. He was one of the few people to have ever understood the intricate connections between art and math and how we can apply them to science. One of the best illustrations of this use is in “The Last Supper,” painted in the late 15th century. Various design and architectural features show very clear golden ratios.

Geometry used to show symmetry in Da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa'

Based on my research and knowledge, mathematics is closely ingrained in both art and science. Sometimes it presents itself in more obvious ways such as formulas in Science or measurement of length, breadth, etc dimensions and scaling in Art. At other times it has a more intuitive role like 3-D representation in Art. However, the close relation between the three is undeniable.

Resources

1. "The Nazca Lines Are An Enigma." The Nazca Lines Are An Enigma. Web. 09 Apr. 2016 <http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/nazca/esp_lineas_nazca_15.htm>.
2.  Henderson, Linda Dalrymple. Leonardo. 3rd ed. Vol. 17. MIT, 1984. Pages 205-210. Print.
3. Vesna, Victoria. “Mathematics-pt1-ZeroPerspectiveGoldenMean.mov.” Cole UC online. Youtube,9 April 2012. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmq5B1LKDg&feature=player_embedded>
4. Abbott, Edwin Abbott. Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1963. Print.
5. "Divine Proportion/Golden Ratio in the Art of Da Vinci." The Golden Ratio Phi 1618. 2014. Web. 09 Apr. 2016. <http://www.goldennumber.net/leonardo-da-vinci-golden-ratio-art/>.