Bernhard Rietzl
Artists
Statement
I am interested in the combination of art and mathematics especially number theory. Prime numbers can be seen as the elements of the whole numbers, compound numbers literally are the products of these basic elements. It is like in chemistry where the chemical elements are the basis for all compound molecules.
Artworks
Between the verticals and the diagonals
90 x 20 x 20 cm
Wood; acrylics; electronics
2019
Enhancing the idea for the sculpture I presented during Bridges Conference 2014, this one can display not only the numbers from one to 24. Now the starting number can be chosen by the viewer by an operator panel. The sculpture shows the prime divisors of the starting number and the following 47 natural numbers by lighting up the 48 displays dependant on time. Between the vertical 2 and 3 divisable sides and the diagonals which show the multiples of the higher primes lie the even higher primes. So this sculpture is a representation of the well known Sieve of Eratosthenes. As the sculpture is six-sided, all primes except for 2 and 3 accumulate on two sides of the sculpture, showing all higher primes adjacent to the multiples of 6.