Gabriele Meyer

Senior Lecturer
Department of Mathematics, University of Wisconsin, Madison
United States

I like to crochet hyperbolic surfaces. More recently I am interested in irregular hyperbolic shapes and how they interact with light.
In this show, I am submitting photographs of an irregular hyperbolic disk and a hyperbolic snake, both of them with lighting. The objects themselves are too large for the show and besides, the light effects can best be seen in a photograph taken in darkness. The hyperbolic disk was simply hung underneath a ceiling lamp. For the snake, I inserted a Christmas light tube into the crocheted cylinder at the center of the snake.
It's a great joy to see what new things one can make with hyperbolic crocheting. Thanks, Daina and Hinke and all the others!

irregular hyperbolic disk as lamp shade
irregular hyperbolic disk as lamp shade
23'' x 20''
photograph
2013

This is an image of a crocheted hyperbolic surface used as a lamp shade. The object itself is about 1 yard in diameter. On one side it has a more negative curvature than on the other, an irregularity, which makes it appear more interesting. The surface is created with white yarn, so that nothing detracts from the shape.

Curved Light Snake
Curved Light Snake
20'' x 30''
photograph
2014

This is a crocheted tube with hyperbolic half planes attached on opposite sides. It's length is about 6 feet. The hyperbolic crochet creates the algae type waves on either side of the tube. Running a light encased in flexible plastic through the tube allowed me to curve the construct in S shape. It makes for a beautiful light experience. There are now low energy light tubes, which may make this kind of a lamp safe to use.

Straight Light Snake
Straight Light Snake
15'' x 30''
photograph
2014

The surface is the same object from the previous photograph. This time it is hung from the ceiling.