Benigna Chilla has had a long and impressive career. After studying with Bauhaus professors in Germany she immigrated to the USA in 1969. Her perceptions regarding planar geometry are highlighted in this current exhibition at Sapar Contemporary gallery in Tribeca. From early on her work has expressed her exploration of the connections between Mathematics and Art.
The 3-D constructions in this exhibition were built from prints that involve a minimalist sensibility. By cutting and folding the paper Chilla has created new visual geometries.

“Ascending” from 1972 features a system of accordion folded triangles. When positioned directly in the front the work, the viewer sees bold printing creates 3 diagonal stripes. 

But that is only hint of the complexity of the structure. A side view of the construction offers another perspective.

The prints incorporated in the construction “Untitled (Column)” from 1976 are long paper strips with delicate vertical parallel lines.

Looking from another direction. These lines go over and around the angles of Chilla’s angular folding pattern. 

What I find so fascinating about the work in this show is how the look of each piece changes when viewed from from different angles in the gallery. Chilla is able to present numerous mathematical ideas in each construction.

Susan Happersett

The Armory Fair at the Jacob Javitz convention center is the largest of the NYC art shows. Galleries from all over the world exhibit at this venue. I chose two galleries with Mathematical work in their booth.

The Rodolphe Janssen galley from Brussels was presenting the work of Brooklin A. Soumahora.

The painting “Window Pnk/Ble” from 2024 consists of a grid of  diagonally bisected rectangles, forming right triangles in contrasting colors. The proportions of the rectangles transition from corner squares to narrow vertical rectangles in the center of the work. This technique creates an interesting illusion of compressed space.

The Blue Velvet Gallery from Zurich was presenting the work of CHRYSSA from the 1960’s. For these  large scale works the artists used a technique of printing onto the painted canvas using images directly taken from printed media. “Magic Carpet (Newspaper )” includes repetitive clippings of grids from the stock market  reports. This mathematical data becomes part of an abstract composition.

More art soon.

Susan Happersett

The Fall Art season has started in NYC. The Art on Paper Fair on Pier 36 had a number of booths featuring mathematical art.

Purgatory Pie Press presented some of my Mathematical prints and books.

The press’ newest print and book “Twenty” by Dikko Faust and Esther K Smith is a counting spiral pattern.

There were a number of galleries and artists showing work with Mathematics implications. Scott McCarney exhibited his triangle format book “In Case of Emergency”.

AC Latin Art exhibited the intricate geometric drawings of Hal Trager. Diamond-shaped grids are the building blocks for the drawing  “The Crossroads”. Diamonds become 3  triangles. A base of three equilateral triangles with an isosceles triangle perched on top.

There are quite a few art fairs in NYC this week. Next, I will visit the Armory Fair.

Susan Happersett