The MoMA in Manhattan is presenting a retrospective of the Joan Jonas. Known for videos and installations that address political and environmental issues, Jonas incorporates blackboard drawings. Many of these white on black drawings incorporate mathematical images.

“Black Board Drawings III and IV” from 1971 features different vantage points of looking at a geometric shape, like an architectural diagram.

This drawing is part of an installation from 2002 titled “Lines in the Sand”. The step like pyramid form is related to both counting and geometry. Although these types of drawings were only a part of the total installation or video I feel it is important to point out the mathematical features of Jonas’ work.

Susan Happersett

Sotheby’s Art & Home Gallery in Morristown, NJ is currently presenting a solo exhibition of Irene Rousseau’s impressive mathematically-inspired mosaics and paintings under the title “Patterns in Nature”.

This mosaic, titled “Infinite Smallness”, is based on the concepts of hyperbolic geometry. Although the work is primarily 2-dimensional, Rousseau has incorporated non-Euclidean geometry in her exploration of negative curvature and exponential growth.

Rousseau also uses oil paint to build tessellated patterns. The painting “Layered Space” shows the dichotomy between the intricate patterning and the fractures within the pattern, caused by spaces between each individual painted “tile” . 
Through these mathematical tilings Rousseau expresses and expounds on very abstract and complex topics. Her use of shape and color makes the beauty of the Mathematics accessible to everyone.

Irene Rousseau’s work will be on display at Irene Rousseau at Sotheby’s Art & Home Gallery until July 15.

Susan Happersett