Week 2: Math and Art
Having listened to music well over 2000 hours according to my 2021 Spotify Wrapped, it would be an understatement to say that music is a significant aspect in my daily life. Having been a part of my highschool's marching band playing the tuba and the saxophone, I developed an early appreciation for the composition of music and the many different forms it had the potential of holding. It all made sense to me when our marching band director explained that music is mathematically structured and organized.
By explaining that digital recordings can be simply represented as 0’s and 1’s, Burk et al. illustrates that sound and music overall can be expressed as mathematical functions (Burk et al., Chapter 2). Furthermore, Shah goes on to explain that the interaction of sound frequencies contribute to either the pleasant or unpleasant sounds (Shah, 19).
As stated by Vesna in her lecture, the Golden Ratio demonstrates the “ultimate connection between math and art” (Vesna). Explaining that the Golden Ratio is phi, a numerical value, she provides reason as to why it is used in many historical completions such as the Parthenon and the infamous Starry Night painting. Beyond Science discusses how paintings such as the Mona Lisa perfectly represent the Golden Ratio which explains its pleasing nature to the human eye (Beyond Science).
In Vanishing Points, Frantz further explains how math relates to art. By discussing the Vanishing Point Theorem, he explains how 2 or more lines that are parallel to each other but not in the plane of the picture “will intersect at the same vanishing point” (Frantz, 3). As demonstrated, Frantz incorporates not only mathematical terminology, but also concepts in his explanation of artistic features.
After going through this week’s materials, I became much more interested in the intersection between mathematics and the arts. Learning that mathematical concepts are frequently used in all forms of art such as music and paintings, I now appreciate the fact that although at first glance they seem as two opposite concepts, mathematics and art are significantly related.
The juxtaposition between the concepts of math, art, and science describes the hidden overlap between these concepts and how they share common elements and many intersections. The elements of creativity, observation and experimentation, precision, accuracy, and abstraction are all elements that can be found in each of these disciplines.
Sources
Burk, Phil, Larry Polansky, Douglas Repetto, Mary Roberts, and Dan Rockmore. "Music and Computers." Music and Computers. Web. 06 Apr. 2021.
Frantz, Marc. "Lesson 3: Vanishing Points and Looking at Art." 2000. Lecture.
Shah, Saloni. “An Exploration of the Relationship between Mathematics and Music.” The University of Manchester, Manchester Institute for Mathematical Sciences, 2010.
skx5008, skx5008. “The Secret behind Mona Lisa’s Smile.” Beyond Science, 1 Apr. 2016, sites.psu.edu/skx5008passion/2016/04/01/the-secret-behind-mona-lisas-smile/.
Vesna, Victoria. "Mathematics: Zero Perspective Golden Mean" 2012.
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