During the twentieth century, many artists and writers turned to abstract mathematical ideas to help them realise their aesthetic ambitions. M C Escher, Marcel Duchamp, and, perhaps most famously, Piet Mondrian used principles of mathematics in their work. Was it mere coincidence, or were these artists simply following their instincts, which in turn were ruled by mathematical underpinnings, such as optimal solutions for filling a space? If math exists within visual art, can it be found within literary pursuits? In short, just what is the relationship between mathematics and the creative arts?In this provocative, original exploration of mathematical ideas in art and literature, Robert Tubbs argues that the links are much stronger than previously imagined and exceed both coincidence and commonality of purpose. Not only does he argue that mathematical ideas guided the aesthetic visions of many twentieth-century artists and writers, Tubbs further asserts that artists and writers used math in their creative processes even though they seemed to have no affinity for mathematical thinking. In the end, Tubbs makes the case that art can be better appreciated when the math that inspired it is better understood. An insightful tour of the great masters of the last century and an argument that challenges long-held paradigms, Mathematics in Twentieth-Century Literature and Art will appeal to mathematicians, humanists, and artists, as well as instructors teaching the connections among math, literature, and art.
Preface Chronology 1. Surrealist Writing, Mathematical Surfaces, and New Geometries Mathematical Imagery and Images Man Ray and Mathematical Surfaces Geometries, Flat and Curved 2. Objects, Axioms, and Constraints Black Squares and Axioms Geometry without Objects / Literature without Words 3. Abstraction in Art, Literature, and Mathematics The White Paintings Abstract Numbers Structure 4. Literature, the Möbius Strip, and Infinite Numbers Concrete Art The Möbius Strip and Literature Concrete Mathematics and Infinite Numbers 5. Klein Forms and the Fourth Dimension In the Labyrinth Surfaces, Mysticism, and the Fourth Dimension 6. Paths, Graphs, and Texts Literature and Choice Mathematical Graph Theory A Play Based on a Graph 7. Poetry, Permutations, and Zeckendorf's Theorem Structured and Programmed Poems Concrete Poetry and Mathematical Images 8. Numbers and Meaning Targets, Numbers, and Equations Numbers: Imagined and Imaginary Randomness, Arbitrariness, and Perfect Numbers Dada Poetry Disorder and Art Arbitrariness 10. The Artworld Notes Bibliography Index
""Tubbs's exposition proves so clear and thorough that the mathematical novice reading Mathematics in Twentieth-Century Literature and Art receives an introductory course in the fundamentals of higher mathematics... Reluctant mathematicians will be delighted to discover that Tubbs's mathematical explanations afford new analyses of canonical artworks.""
