Amanda Taylor Lipnicki

Associate Professor

Alfred University

Alfred, NY, USA

I first ventured into studying math as an undergraduate pursuing an art degree. For my PhD research, I studied geometric group theory. My love of both math and art has led me to experiment with art and research at the intersections of the two. My art is also informed by my experiences teaching mathematics at universities. Most recently, I've been playing with fiber arts, patternmaking, and programming.

Hyperbolic Chiaroscuro

31 x 62 x 31 cm

Wool yarn, string lights, plywood, and black paint

2022

Play of light and dark has always fascinated me. In this work, I investigated how crocheted hyperbolic planes cast light and shadow when illuminated. My attraction to lighted displays of fiber arts is akin to a common strategy in mathematics which can also be illuminating—forgetting information. The chiaroscuro in a dark environment allows us to appreciate the grander features of the surfaces and some of the stitches without the full distraction all the visual information. These planes were knit with very special single spun, hand-dyed, Irish wool yarns purchased on location from a small farm. The black display box helps showcase the work as intended in a space where the artist otherwise cannot control the ambient lighting.