Mathematics integrated in Art
Art and Math! For anyone, these two subjects stand at the opposite ends of a spectrum but me as a competent student in Mathematics and with special love for art, have always questioned this perception. As life went by and my hobby took a back seat, this just became one of many thoughts in my head unless recently, I attended a session by Mrs. Kakali Bagchi which proved my timeworn thoughts correct.
In fact, Art and Mathematics go hand in hand, in everything we see around us. We, as an ancient civilization, have always held Mathematics and Arts on the same pedestal in the beautiful rangolis that we make every Diwali or in our famous Warli art, you can see the fantastic usage of geometrical shapes. The exquisite designs we see on sarees our women wear every single day show great usage of repetitive patterns and symmetry.
Arguably the most famous series of numbers is the Fibonacci! There is a special relation between the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio. When we take any two successive Fibonacci numbers, their ratio is very close to the Golden Ratio. But, what is this golden ratio? Well, you can see it everywhere in nature. This is the magical ratio (1:1.618) that makes our world beautiful to look at.
Nature carefully follows this ratio in plants, flowers, animals, shells, hurricanes and even in the galaxies! In every sense nature uses mathematics to make it aesthetically beautiful. The ancient mathematicians and architects understood and used this exact ratio in many temples, the greatest example of which is the Brihadeshwara temple in Thanjavur. There are endless examples around the world that show a delicate symbiotic relationship between mathematics and art.
When our ancestors had such immense appreciation for mathematical art then why should our children today be deprived of this thought and opportunity to enjoy and learn both at the same level? Why should art just be a hobby?
We can make small changes in our teaching where students could demonstrate understanding of mathematical concepts through different art forms. Visual stimulation and a creative approach towards teaching math can surely change the attitude of those who find it difficult or boring. Art integrated math can help students explore their abilities in both fields and not just limit their skills to one.
As is said by the famous Italian mathematician Luca Pacioli- “Without Mathematics there is no art.” , a true mathematician will always appreciate good art and a true artist will always know the importance of mathematics.
