Week 2

    This week's lesson really opened my eyes to how deeply mathematics influences both art and science. Victoria Vesna’s lecture on "Mathematics and Art" showed me that even simple mathematical ideas, like the concept of zero, had huge impacts on how artists created visual depth using linear perspective. I also learned a lot from Nicholas Gessler’s interview, "Things That Think." Gessler's explanation of historical computational devices, like the Jacquard loom and punch cards, made me realize that math isn't just abstract numbers; it’s deeply woven into tangible, everyday objects.

Understanding this made me appreciate how technology expands artistic possibilities. The "Crochet Coral Reef" by Christine and Margaret Wertheim was particularly fascinating. This community art project tackles climate change and beautifully demonstrates hyperbolic geometry through crochet forms.

It’s a great example of how math can inspire meaningful, visually engaging art. Leonardo da Vinci’s "Vitruvian Man" reinforced this idea, clearly showing how geometry and human anatomy blend together to create an iconic image that bridges art and science. 

Additionally, the TED-Ed video "The Unexpected Math Behind Van Gogh's 'Starry Night'" highlighted another compelling intersection of mathematics and art. The video explains how turbulence, a mathematical phenomenon, appears vividly in Van Gogh’s swirling brushstrokes, further demonstrating mathematics' profound influence on artistic expression. Overall, this week's materials taught me that math isn't just a tool, it's a creative language shared by both artists and scientists. Math, art, and science aren't separate; they're deeply interconnected, enhancing each other's depth and meaning.

Works Cited: 

Vesna, Victoria. "Mathematics and Art" (Lecture).

Wertheim, Margaret. "Things That Think: An Interview with Nicholas Gessler." Institute For Figuring, 2003.https://www.theiff.org/publications/cab21-gessler.html.

Institute For Figuring. "Crochet Coral Reef." Accessed April 11, 2025. https://crochetcoralreef.org/about/theproject/.

Britannica. "Vitruvian Man." Accessed April 11, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vitruvian-Man

TED-Ed. "The Unexpected Math Behind Van Gogh's 'Starry Night'." Accessed April 11, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMerSm2ToFY