Bradford Hansen-Smith
“Skelug ”
28 folded circles, 16”x6”x5”, 2007.
Nine inch paper plate circles are folded and reformed into multiple units that have been arranged in one of many possible combinations of joining. Consistently following the development it began to take on a skeleton-like appearance and by decreasing the diameters of the circles it began to form a twisting conical helix, much like a sea slug, thus the name Skelug. Most all of my explorations with the circle starts with folding three diameters, developing the equilateral triangular grid, reforming and joining multiples, which often reveals structural forms observable in nature.
“Extrapolated icosahedron”
52 folded 9” paper plate circles, 13”x13”x13”, 2008.
Forty circles have been folded, reformed to an in/out
variation of a truncated tetrahedron, then octahedronally joined in
pairs, and arranged in an icosahedron pattern. This revealed an
interesting form of the icosadodecahedron with open pentagon stars. In
this case twelve circles were reformed and added to suggest mouth-like
openings found in sea anemones or in opening flower buds. This gives
function to the open pentagons. Much of what I explore with folding
circles are the structural functions of geometry found in life forms
that correlate to the movement forms of the folded circle.
Bradford Hansen-Smith, independent consultant, geometer,
author, sculptor,. Chicago IL, USA
"I fold paper plate circles, exploring the nature of the
circle, and the kinds of information and reformations that can be
generated through a principled and systematic process of folding and
joining. The comprehensive nature of the circle demonstrates a richness
of information not found in any other shape or form. We do not fold
circles and there is nothing in drawing and constructing the image that
gives any indication of what can be generated by simply folding the
circle to itself, reconfiguring, and joining in multiples. There is no
cutting or measuring, only proportional folding. The circle is
simultaneously Whole and part as no other shape or form can demonstrate.
I have taken on as my job folding circles to explore the information and
modeling possibilities that are inherent, and to document my findings,
making information available on this process that I call Wholemovement."
brad@wholemovement.com
http://www.wholemovement.com