S. Louise Gould and Frank Gould
Artists
S. Louise Gould
Professor Emerita
Department of Mathematical Sciences, Central Connecticut State University
Connecticut USA
Statement
My mathematical art grows out of my experiences with my students and my explorations of mathematics, textiles, paper, and technology. I enjoy working with computer controlled machines such as the computerized embroidery sewing machine and the Craft Robo (plotter cutter) as well as traditional looms and knitting machines.
Artworks
Zipping is Believing--Cuboctahedron to Faceted Octahedron Model of the Projective Plane
12" x 12" x12"
Fabric supported by very stiff stabilizer, separating zippers, velcro for rigidity
2011
This interactive three-dimensional piece consists of a cuboctahdron that can be unzipped into two congruent halves. The exterior of the cuboctahedron is blue the interior red. One of these halves can be folded in such a way that three of the square faces intersect each other in the center of a faceted octahedron. Opposite edges of the half "sphere" are twisted and zipped together forming a model of the projective plane shown on this model as blue meets red. Clues to the folding are marked as valley (blue and green stripes) and mountain folds (red and green stripes) on the red side and the color of the zippers. The inspiration and mathematical motivation is to better understand the projective plane by examining this particularly symmetric polyhedral model.