2020 Joint Mathematics Meetings
Anduriel Widmark
Artists
Anduriel Widmark
Artist
Denver, Colorado, USA
Statement
Art is a good excuse to play. Play is a fun way to try on new realities. Exploring patterns and symmetry through abstraction presents an opportunity to look outside of a regular pattern of seeing. Relationships between underlying forces exemplify the inseparability of structure and narration. Structures and voids organize a lattice around these distinctions and connections.
Artworks
10 Arrangements of 72 Pencils
20 x 40 x 100 cm
Wood Pencils
2019
"10 different arrangements of 72 pencils" explores ways to organizing non-intersecting arrangements of cylinder packings. "72 pencils" is a sculpture made of pencils originally produced by George Hart, that has become a popular form for math enthusiasts to reproduce. This Hexastix structure uses economic materials and provides a challenging construction, making it an accessible and satisfying structure to make. 720 pencils are used to show alternative subgroups and patterns, creating 10 congruent cylinder packings of 72 pencils. Interesting combinations are used to highlight a variety of geometric problems. Building these sculptures is a fun way to get creative and use mathematics to explore symmetry and build spatial intuition.
Stixahexaknot
11 x 11 x 11 cm
flame worked borosilicate glass
2019
Stixahexaknot is a small glass knot based on a periodic non-intersecting arrangement of cylinders known as hexastix. The ends of rods were welded together using tetrahedral symmetry to create a knot. Using transparent glass allows light to dance around and illuminate the interior geometry in a fascinating way.