Douglas McKenna

Statement

Like other areas where constraint and freedom conflict, the tension between symmetry and asymmetry in mathematically defined or algorithmically constructed objects is where art lies. This interplay is important when trying to find a balance between platonic and aesthetic beauty in any satisfying mathematical art. Even more gratifying is when one's aesthetic explorations of a constrained combinatorial space leads to new mathematical discoveries. Much of my "mathemaesthetic" work combines research into monoidal space-filling curve patterns and their constraints, followed by algorithmic and/or visual play with the resulting patterns and paths.

Artworks

This piece is based on a novel space-filling curve discovered by the artist. The curve converges to a fractal (but only in the interior) having unit area, but distributed in a strange way within a 1 x 2 domino. It is drawn as a continuous path, with subtle gradual changes to the color of the path. Remarkably, this pattern tiles with itself.