Kevin Corotis
My work is aimed at challenging those inside and out of mathematics to experience mathematics indirectly in various ways. I select relatively simple themes and find a way to represent them using clay. Then, I ask questions about the implications (mathematical and not) of interacting with the piece visually and physically. I intend to explore the intersection of math and art and how individuals with varying levels of mathematical awareness interact with themes expressed in abstract ways. The intersection of art and mathematics is important to me because it allows me to push limits and challenge perceptions that mathematics is not creative, beautiful or visual.
This piece was inspired by the torus teapot, which is a piece
often built by novice ceramicists. The torus teapot itself already
raises many topological questions. However, I wanted to go further
by physically deconstructing the torus and putting it back
together. Doing so raises questions about what happens visually
and mathematically when a torus is cut up and pieced back together
in a seemingly random way (even if "cutting" isn't a valid
transformation in topology). Given that it still exists as a
teapot (you can pour water in the top and it will flow through the
torus segments and out of the spout when poured), can you identify
the Euler Characteristic of the Teapot?
Photography by Jeff Sabo.
I designed and created ceramic topology pieces to be put into a
display case in the math department at Miami University. The
ceramic pieces and the themes they represent were presented at the
Visualizing Math Conference at Miami University in September 2018.
This Mobius Loop was among them and I chose to include it in this
submission simply because of its aesthetic. I find the simplicity
behind creating a Mobius loop out of a strip of paper fascinating
and I chose to accentuate that singular surface by inscribing
waves that invite the viewer to run their fingers across its
infinite surface and appreciate its simplicity while also
considering its topological complexity.
Photography by Jeff Sabo.