Jo Niemeyer
“Uniqueness - and Infinity”
Prints, 16" x 16", 20" x 20", 2008.
Uniqueness - and Infinity - An Experiment with the Golden Section
To realize the concept of "uniqueness" in art is a true challenge.
And no easy task for an artist. This could be said for the concept
"infinity" as well. As a visual experiment with both of them, this problem
is shown systematically in two steps in the following two graphics:
The top image shows the overlapping of two geometrical grids. The size of the mesh corresponds to the relation 1 : 0.625. Or the Fibonacci numbers 5 and 8. There are nine grid elements, which overlap accurately. Furthermore the constellations of overlappings reiterate themselves. The two grids behave periodically. There is infinity - but no uniqueness.
The bottom image shows the overlapping of two grids as well.
Very similar
to the top image, but the size of their meshes correspond here exactly
to the relation of
the golden section. 1 : 0.6180339... As the last number is an irrational
number, the
two grids behave aperiodically. Only the upper left two grid elements
overlap accurately. Each overlapping constellation of the elements is
unique, even if the size of the grid would be extended to infinity!
Jo Niemeyer, freelance artist, Schluchsee, Germany
"The basis of my work as an artist is the connection between art and
nature,
between the artistic action and the experimental work. This means that
my artistic
production which is fundamentally based on natural principals and
measures is
nothing more than a sequence of experimental steps which implies given and
objective criteria and subjective factors in the same way.
On the one hand my work is based on events in nature and civilization as
well
as on communication with colleagues of other disciplines. The dual pole
mathematics
- art is for me not only the basis of my experience but at the time also
my central theme.
My main interest is directed to the perception of space, time, distances
and proportion
and forms the synthesis between art and nature which implies in the end
a dialogue
between man and nature..."
jo@niemeyer.com
www.jo.niemeyer.com