Barbara Kimeswenger

Artist, Mathematics Educator
Mathematics Education Department, Private University of Education, Diocese of Linz
Linz, Austria

My early interest in both disciplines, Arts and Mathematics, resulted that I studied both subjects at university. Since then, I have focused on various scientific and artistic projects addressing these two areas. For example, this year, I earned my PhD in mathematics education and I also exhibited numerous oil paintings in a large solo exhibition. This anamorphosis submitted to the Bridges conference combines my topics of interest: (i) Natural Science, Mathematics and (ii) Arts, Painting

Upside down
Upside down
30 x 50 x 50 cm
Oil painting, cylindrical mirror
2018

The three-dimensional object consists of an oil painting and a cylindrical mirror reflecting it. This artwork represents my attitude to the combination of different disciplines that can influence and exploit each other’s potentials. When people are initially confronted with the idea of connecting Mathematics and Arts, they are often confused turning their world upside down. This work visualizes that both disciplines can be important to create something new and unique. The painting represents the artistic and the cylindrical mirror the scientific/mathematical part. On the one hand, without painting there would be nothing to be reflected. On the other hand, the mirror is essential to create a new perspective of the woman's portrait.