Bridges 2025 Exhibition of Mathematical Art, Craft, and Design
Dr Louisa Magrics
Artists
Dr. Louisa Magrics
Lecturer in Creative Arts
College of Human and Social Futures, University of Newcastle
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Statement
My work explores the interplay of rhythm, geometry, and crochet, drawing from my background in drumming to create textile structures. Grounded in mathematical principles, my practice transforms fiber into three-dimensional forms that challenge traditional boundaries between art and mathematics. These sculptural pieces extend my research on inter-looping structures, demonstrating how crochet operates as both an aesthetic and structural system, resonating with natural patterns and algorithmic design.
Artworks
Rhizome
140.0 x 140.0 x 15.0 cm
Crocheted Yarn
2022
“Rhizome” is a visual exploration of the intricate interplay between scale and bifurcation, explored through the medium of crochet. Using a selection of hook sizes, I have carefully built up density within the form, creating embedded structure using only yarn as my medium. The piece invites viewers to contemplate the beauty of mathematical patterns in nature.
This piece explores repetition of a pattern at various scales, with each smaller iteration embedded inside of larger iterations, to generate a symmetrical, self similar structure. This piece explores the relationship between thread density, hook size & resulting rigidity of form, along with mathematical concepts of symmetry and self-similarity - illustrating the relationship between micro and macro patterns in nature.
The work includes layers with 3mm, 4mm & 6mm hook sizes and uses cubic division to generate the form.