Week 2: Math + Art (Visual and Musical)

In this week’s lesson, we learned about how mathematics influenced art and science in history. An example of a paradigm shift in the history of art was the introduction of linear perspective. Based on the mathematics and science of physical optics, linear perspective heavily influenced artists during the Renaissance period. Techniques such as the vanishing point helped paintings appear geometrically correct, effectively reproducing reality in the eyes of art spectators. Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” perfectly portrays the use of one-point perspective in this famous art piece.

 (Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper", with lines to emphasize linear perspective)

            In history, mathematics also influenced the construction of other forms of art, such as architecture and music. For example, the Great Pyramids of Giza and the contemporary Modulor system are based on the golden ratio, developed by Greek mathematicians. Lastly, this week’s readings provided insight into the use of mathematics in musical art. Art and mathematics (along with science) are often described in juxtaposition, but the incorporation of both can result in both expressive and transformative modern works of art.

(The use of the golden ratio in the construction of the Great Pyramids of Giza)

            Personally, I have experienced the power of understanding the mathematics behind musical art. Briefly mentioned in the previous paragraph, music theory also involves the language of mathematics. The two short YouTube videos below explain how math and music are combined. The one on the left explains how many different types of musical genres can be broken down into basic underlying rhythms. Artistic expression depends on how the rhythms are layered upon each other.

            The video on the right is a detailed analysis of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” As explained in this week’s reading, musical notes can be mathematically described as sine waves of different frequencies. In his time, Beethoven was a musical genius who was unaware of the mathematics in making music sound good. His “Moonlight Sonata” consists of triads, which can either form consonance or dissonance depending on the common zero intercepts of the three notes’ frequencies. After this lesson, and from my experiences playing in high school orchestras, I have grown to appreciate the intersection of mathematics and art to create beautiful music.

 
(Short YouTube videos explaining how musical art and math intertwine)

References:

Burk, Phil, Larry Polansky, Douglas Repetto, Mary Roberts, and Dan Rockmore. "Section 1.3: Frequency, Pitch, and Intervals." Music and Computers: A Theoretical Approach. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

TED-Ed. Music and math: The genius of Beethoven – Natalya St. Clair. Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 9 Sept. 2014. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

TED-Ed. A different way to visualize rhythm – John Varney. Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 20 Oct. 2014. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

Vesna, Victoria. Mathematics-pt1-ZeroPerspectiveGoldenMean.mov. Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 9 Apr. 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

Image Sources:

Britton, Jill. ""Golden Section in Art and Architecture"." Jill Britton's HOME. Camosun College Department of Mathematics, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

"The Last Supper: Linear and Arerial Perspective." Nia's Specialist Contextual Investigation. Wordpress.com, 18 Mar. 2014. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Event 3: Final Review/Study Guide – 5/24

Image
1. I attended the final review and signed out at the end of the session. 2.  Study Guide:         On May 24 th , I attended a review session for the DESMA (Design Media Arts) 9 course, an Art|Sci course that helped me create this blog revolving around the intersection of art, science, and technology. With only two weeks left in the Spring Quarter at UCLA, it was crucial for me to attend this two-hour, PowerPoint-based review at the Broad Arts building. It was led by Professor Victoria Vesna, as well as all of the teaching assistants who guided the students through this course. Following this review, I have created the following study guide to help me successfully complete this course. Most importantly, the study guide contains deadlines for the final project and blog summary assignments, as well as some guidelines and advice. Caption : The slide outlining important deadlines for DESMA 9, from the final review’s PowerPoint lecture.   ...
Read more

Event 1: “Welcome to My Woods”, with Linda Weintraub

Image
“The problem is not that we are too materialistic—it is that we are not materialistic enough.” This past Thursday, I attended Linda Weintraub’s Art|Sci Gallery, which was part of Eco-centric Art+Science Week. Linda Weintraub is an educator, author, and artist who believes in the beauty and necessity of environmental consciousness, through which people can discover newfound respect for the physical world. The interactive exhibition opened my senses and allowed me a taste of the woods of New York. I am glad to have experienced the ideals of ecological materialism and contemporary art through Linda’s project! ("Welcome to My Woods" Poster in Gallery) She first shared her inspiration for this gallery: an undergraduate student who taught underprivileged high school students in Los Angeles. This undergraduate was shocked by how few of them had seen the ocean, and even more dismayed when she saw how strange it was for them to walk on the sandy beach. The high school stu...
Read more

Week 3: Robotics + Art

Image
            Kinetic and robotic art is quickly becoming popular among contemporary artists, such as Perry Hoberman’s Faraday’s Garden (1990) and Faraday’s Ghost (2011) masterpieces. The history of robotic art dates back to the industrialization periods, starting with inventions such as the printing press. This device introduced the concept of mechanization, specifically allowing the mass production of books and rapid spread of knowledge. The mechanization of labor then sparked the idea of the robot, a term coined by Czech playwright, Karel Capek. Laborers were basically treated as machines, being required to adapt to the other automated systems along the assembly line. Capek commented on this unsettling work culture through a play involving robots because he felt that workers were being replaced by mechanization. With the growth of computers, however, society increasingly became dependent on the capabilities of machines. Finally in the 20 th century, ar...
Read more