Amanda Taylor

Statement

This work was completed in high school when I took an interest in patterns and geometry. At the time I never thought I'd study math after high school, yet I explored patterns and illusions in drawings. As I furthered my education, I was intrigued by theoretical mathematics and studied geometric group theory--an area at the intersection of geometry, algebra, and logic--for my PhD. Looking back, nearly 2 decades earlier, these works show clear signs of an interest in concepts at the core of mathematics and a keen interest to experiment. They reveal more about me and my future than I could have ever known at the time.

Artworks

This piece explores rotations and visual effects of them. It also utilizes chiaroscuro as a means to emphasize rotation and turbulence. The central circle is stable, floating above a maelstrom of rotating figures that draw the eye in circular motions to explore the piece.

Chiaroscuro and framing are the prominent techniques in this piece. The central squares rotate one direction, then back the other. Though the outer frames of lights and cameras are quite stable, the central "rolling" creates a sense of time and change that can affect perception of the outer stable frames, giving an illusion of tilting or bending.