Proceedings of Bridges 2011: Mathematics, Music, Art, Architecture, Culture
Pages 113–120
Regular Papers
Abstract
This article explores the mathematics and science behind a series of sculptures by Professor Jim Paulsen. The goal is to show how the social and cultural elements surrounding an abstract sculptor, in this case Paulsen, shape the resultant artworks. Abstraction in creating sculpture, very similar to music, may separate the final created art from its very first idea of creation in a way that the two ends of the spectrum seem to be two unrelated matters, especially if the works are partly based on emotions or events only known to the artist. Nevertheless, some gestures by the artist may reveal the hidden idea in the piece, which brings in the joy of discovery to the observer.