I like math, because I think it’s the most basic and
fundamental way for us to explore this world, at the same time it has so many
variations that we have to use different perspectives to view even one simple
example. Not so surprising for me, we have to use art a lot in solving
mathematical problems. For example, since primary school, we could draw the
three views of blocks, use x, y and z axis to explain the existence of an object, depict the shadow of an object using similar triangles…
But after learning this lecture, I found that the
development of art is also indispensible of scientific evolution. In the video,
I start to think about the origin of “zero”. People didn’t know what is exactly
a “nothing” in the past, so they came up with all kinds of ideas to represent this
strange phenomenon. Also, perspective is a great concern in both art and science.
Only with appropriate perspective and vanishing point can we make the whole
picture more realistic. Another important topic the professor talks about is
the golden ratio. We are often confused that why something looks more comfortable
than the other, and the reason is that it uses the concept of golden ratio. For
example, I tried to draw the symbol of Apple but always failed, my picture was
strange and not so mellow and full, but actually the Apple symbol strictly follows
the standard of golden ratio.
(apple symbol uses the golden ratio)
The article “The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry
in Modern Art: Conclusion” by Linda Henderson provides us a solid ground for
the combination of math and art. The concept of fourth dimension takes a long time
to be accepted by most artists, and they started to incorporate time into their
work, left us with some really beautiful and creative pieces. Among these
art work, I like “the Persistence of Memory” by Salvador Dali best. I am first
attracted by the three clocks in the picture. It’s clear that clocks represent
time. In my opinion, clocks should be flat, but here the clocks have crooked
surface, so does it mean the time is also curving? The answer consists with
Einstein’s relativity theorem. Sometimes we feel that the time goes fast,
sometimes slowly, at some moments we feel we are in the past… But after all
time is everlasting, just like the endless ocean in the picture and our own
memory is limited.
It seems to us that three-dimension, four-dimension are
reasonable now, but what if some one comes up with even higher dimensions and new ideas. Just
like the novel “Flatland”, the people live in flatland cannot understand the existence
of spaceland. When there is new theorem coming out, people suspect, challenge
and sneer, but the truth is always truth. The common goal of art, math and
science is to improve our understanding of the world, whatever in aesthetic way
or scientific way, and we have to let it happen.
Sources:
Steven Levandosky. "MATLAB Tutorial". Stanford University. 2001. Web. Apr 8, 2016. http://mathcs.holycross.edu/~spl/MATLAB/matlab.html
David Cole. "Does the Apple Logo Really Adhere To the Golden Ratio?". GIZMODO. Jun 5, 2013. Web. Apr 8, 2016. http://gizmodo.com/does-the-apple-logo-really-adhere-to-the-golden-ratio-511410550
Paul Martin. ''Apple and the Golden Ratio". Paul Martin's Blog. July 18, 2011. Web. Apr 9, 2016.
Kristy Puchko. "15 Things You Didn't Know About 'The Persistence Of Memory' ". Mental_floss. Apr 9, 2015. Web. Apr 8, 2016. http://mentalfloss.com/article/62725/15-things-you-didnt-know-about-persistence-memory
Linda Dalrymple Henderson. “The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art: Conclusion.” Leonardo. 17.3 (1984): 205-210. Print.
Abbott, Edwin. “Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions.” Web. Apr 9, 2016. http://www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/eaa/FL.HTM
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