San Le is an artist and computer programmer who has taken ideas originated by MC escher to a different level. this week he posted a paper on the arXiv called "The Art of Space Filling in Penrose Tilings and Fractals." in this paper, he plays with the idea of tessellation, or tiling together of shapes in one plane. instead of using simple shapes like this example of penrose's aperiodic tiling using darts and kites:
Le applies images inside the kite and dart shapes like this:
the result is the creation of images that are at once mathematically stimulating and sensually interesting, like this:
Le applies images inside the kite and dart shapes like this:
the result is the creation of images that are at once mathematically stimulating and sensually interesting, like this:
3 comments:
A critical restriction of Escher's tesselations is that the figures should fill the plane WITHOUT any gaps.
This restriction makes producing recognisable figures very, very difficult. Escher was a master of this. Without this restriction producing drawings such as these is trivial.
This work does not even come close to Eschers (or others since), and is not remotely comparable.
It's not that it's not in the same league, it's not even playing the same game!
See, this is what keeps a lot of people out of astronomy and many of the higher sciences... something I call 'the jazzification of learning'.
What I mean by that is with jazz, if you are pulled into by an artist like Kenny G, you are as likely to catch grief if you talk with other more 'serious' jazz lovers. My man here is obviously a smart cat and way smart than I am. BUT if I was a kid or teen and saw this stuff and it 'caught' my eye besides the provocative nature of the work, his opinion could be detrimental in growing my interest.
I find this fascinating (I am fascinated by a lot of stuff here!). But when I think about the funding for the arts and sciences being cut, I also think about one of the reasons they may be lumped together... because it seems like it is a gift and that the chosen few who have it have nothing remotely in common with the masses. 'A&S' folks are smart and resented for it. The work that is done is necessary but the benefits not only are in the future but the research could be rendered obsolete by other advancements. Still, that has nothing to do with its overall benefit.
In short, attitudes like this cat is why it is hard for others among the 'great unwashed' to find support for the necessary programs around space. It hurts me to my heart that the shuttle program is ending with no replacement vehicle in sight.
*sigh* Sorry for my rant. Cats like that gets my goat!!
Speaking the truth is not being negative or elitist.
The title of the post is "Beyond Escher" it talks of 'taking Escher's work to a different level'.
That's what got my goat!
If someone said to you KennyG's music was beyond anything Miles Davis did & took jazz to a different level, would you protest!
If it's inspiration you're after google "Escher" & enjoy the ride.
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