Untitled from Connections

Although this work may appear visually simple at first glance, the concepts that drove its creation were deeply engaged with theoretical mathematics, especially the field of math known as knot theory, which studies the conditions under which one shape can be morphed into another. Knot theory and other theoretical frontiers in mid-twentieth-century mathematics were prominent at Black Mountain College due to the presence on the faculty of Max Dehn and Buckminster Fuller, leading innovators in geometry and architecture, respectively. The theme of knots thus constitutes a common thread linking the disciplines of art and math, and showcases how an artist can contribute to mathematical theory by helping to visually model mathematical ideas and structures.