Agniv Sarkar, Anish Sarkar

Statement

Differential Geometry defines curvature as 1/R where R is the osculating circle's radius—the circle that best approximates the curve. These stars create the illusion of curvature through the small linear approximations of a curve, slanted cuts, clustering in the centers, and playful shadows. In our work, "Self-Similar Constellations of Curvature," we explore variations on the star kirigami, incorporating designs by Guy Petzall (Ullagami), which give rise to curvature. When laid flat, each piece looks incredibly similar, but when folded upwards, one can see how the difference in cuts varies the forms and paths within the final star. The top view, named "Constellation Family," forms a five pointed star, making this work a self-similar piece.

Artworks

Top view of a selection of five stars with fairy lights wrapped around. Each piece was folded over many hours by hand, with cuts assisted by a Silhouette Cameo. Cardstock was used as the backing for each piece, with paperclips used to both hold each piece in place and form a structure for the fairy lights to illuminate each piece of the star. When viewed from the top, each piece comes together to create one large star, creating a constellation family, granting this configuration its name.