Fibonacci, our boy.

I was surprised at the beauty of the pieces I saw at the exhibit. I was really skeptical going in because I had never really heard about Islamic art, so I didn’t think it would be great, but I really liked it. I really liked the craftsmanship of the pieces I saw. I don’t really understand paintings and it’s hard for me to connect to them, but these handmade items really spoke to me and are unlike other things I’m used to seeing in western art, perhaps because of the geometry of the pieces.

I’m not entirely sure how Islamic faith is represented through this art, but I think it has to do with creation and order. I know math has deep roots in their culture and looking at the geometry of the pieces I can see that a lot of it is focused on design, shape, and space. A lot of the art focuses on unity and the idea of repetition and infinity, these are all religious concepts that speak through the artwork. I had learned about the golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence years ago but was surprised and very pleased to see most of the artwork based off this mathematical concept.

As I said, the art is very geometrical, which was what immediately made me like it. It looks very mathematical and perhaps that is the part that makes it so beautiful to me. I don’t like math in terms of numbers, but this art made me reconsider the notion that math can be beautiful when viewed in a kinetic and tangible form, created and purposeful. I think that reverence is communicated through the repetition and respect for certain patterns and shapes. Everything is very precise and ordered in such a way that it is naturally pleasing to the eyes and commands respect and admiration for creation and nature.

This exhibit taught me about an art form that I was never before aware of. Through this experience I learned how much I like symmetry and order. It taught me how beautiful the idea of math can be when I applied to a medium, instead of a theoretical and empirical medium.

 

Just soak in the Fibonacci. Drink it down. Go ahead.