Central Booking – Art and Science Celebration

Posted by Susan Happersett

I have written about Central Booking before here. It is a Lower Eastside Gallery run by Maddy Rosenberg that specializes in Art & Science-related content, as well as book arts. On Thursday, December 4, there will be a gathering for contributors to their current campaign. This cause is close to my heart, obviously. And, they will be serving chocolate and champagne while you’re checking their new exhibition “Psyched“.

Chocolate (from Central Booking’s web site)

The event promises to be a lot of fun. If you are interested go here to make a tax-deductable donation and maybe I will see you there!

Screenprinting Math op-art at Kayrock Screenprinting

Posted by Susan Happersett

A few weeks ago at the EA/B art fair in NY I visited the booth of Kayrock Screenprinting from Brooklyn NY. The shop is run by Karl Larocca who has printed some amazing graphic patterns. I purchased a set of black and white cards with some striking use of parallel lines.

This first card has a very basic design but the optical impact is impressively kinetic. The rectangle is divided in half with the parallel lines running at a 45 degree angle to the edges of the card so that the two sets of lines meet at a 90 degree angle along the center line. This creates a line of reflection symmetry.

The second card is much more complicated. Creating identical kite shaped forms that are assembled into equilateral triangles, Larocca has built a mathematical tiling. Then by patterning each kite shape with parallel lines he creates a pulsating optical effect.

Even though the the patterns on each card are limited to just two alternating colors, using only straight lines of uniform width, the geometric patterns and the optical experience are surprising complex.

Susan

El Anatsui at the Jack Shainman Gallery

Posted by Susan Happersett

El Anatsui is one of the greatest and most famous Contemporary African artists. His work is in the collections of most major museums throughout the world. I have been an admirer of his constructions for many years. He creates wall hangings and 3-D structures using metal bottle caps, printing plates, copper wire, as well as other recycled materials.

In the exhibition at the Jack Shainman Gallery titled “Trains of Thought” there is a huge wall hanging with some interesting mathematical elements.

El Anatsui uses multiples of the same type of object and flattens and folds them into uniform geometric shapes.

Here is a close up of a top section of the wall hanging. Using narrow rectangles of rolled metal elements he constructs squares. He patterns the squares either with vertical stripes or horizontal stripes, creating a mathematical tiling using recycled materials.

Susan

Math meets Art at the EA/B Fair in NYC

Posted by Susan Happersett

This weekend at the Editions/Artist’s Books Fair Purgatory Pie Press will be exhibiting limited edition letterpress artist’s books featuring my mathematical drawings. I have been collaborating with Purgatory Pie Press for fifteen years and we have published numerous Mathematically themed artworks.

“Box of Growth” is a set of five small accordion books. Each features a series of my counted marking drawings based on different growth patterns created using the Fibonacci Sequence.

Another topic we have explored is Cantor Set. “Infinity Remove” has two sides; one with self-similar gridded marking drawings, the reverse had famous quotes about Infinity.

“Fibonacci Flower” shows the development of a Mathematically generated flower using the Fibonacci Sequence.

Our most recent project is “Box of Chaos” is a series of four paper sculptures with my fractal chaos drawings.

The EA/B Fair is free and open to the public this Friday (November 7, 2014) to Sunday at 540 West 21st Street NYC.

— FibonacciSusan

Michelle Grabner at James Cohan Gallery

Posted by Susan Happersett

The exploration and study of pattern have been defining elements in the artistic practice of Michelle Grabner. One of the topics addressed through abstract patterning is the structures and geometries underlying weaving knitting and crocheting. Her current exhibition at the James Cohan Gallery features a large collection of her two-color paper weaving panels spread out flat on two pedestals in the gallery.

The vibrant contrasting colored papers used in the weavings give the viewer a clear impression of the grids and symmetries used in each of the weaving techniques. The gallery arrangement of having many next to each other and overlapping creates an exhuberant riot of color and pattern.

Grabner also creates paintings that uncover the intricate patterns created by knitting and crocheting. They are more subtle in color but incorporate more intense patterns.

MICHELLE GRABNER Untitled, 2014 Enamel on panel 50 x 48 x 1 1/2 in. (127 x 121.9 x 3.8 cm)

This painting on canvas is a depiction of a giant crocheted square. Removing any indication of color and focusing on the negative space, the 4-fold rotational symmetry becomes quite clear.

This exhibition at the James Cohan gallery reveals Grabner’s commitment to elevating the patterns and Mathematical geometries of what could be considered “woman’s work” to the realm of abstract art. By enlarging the weave patterns and limiting each panel to two bold colors they refer to both color field painting and Op-Art. The more subtle crochet and knit canvases transpose the needle work into a minimalist vocabulary. The field of historical craft traditions has proven fertile ground for the expression of mathematical form.

All pictures courtesy of the artist and the gallery.

– FibonacciSusan