[Maths-Education] Maths-Art Seminars at London Knowledge Lab: Mathematical Photography, Justin Mullins, 9 January 2007

[Phillip Kent]

*** PLEASE CIRCULATE ** ALL WELCOME **

Mathematical photography -- Images from another world
by Justin Mullins [www.justinmullins.com]

*In the same way that an ordinary photograph is snapshot of natural beauty,
mathematical photographs are stills of mathematical beauty. If
mathematicians are explorers, then my role is that of a photographer who
retraces their steps. During my journey, I photograph what I find. By that I
mean frame it, record it and later present it.

While the notion of mathematical beauty, and indeed ugliness, is well
established, mathematics and mathematical physics can inspire (for me at
least) an extraordinary mix of other emotions and ideas. For that reason,
the equations in my photographs are much more than objects of 'austere
beauty', as Bertrand Russell put it. I photograph them to explore their
complex emotional and aesthetic values. For me, it is a journey of great
wonder and excitement.

Extract from a review of Justin's exhibition in London in 2006:
*When I walked into the gallery, I saw a class of children sat listening to
their teacher as she talked to them in front of one of the beautifully
presented equations. Taking a look around the gallery myself, I soon saw why
she had decided to bring her class to see the "photographs". The stark black
Times New Roman text on a white background certainly looks striking. Other
artists have been fascinated by typography and some have even exhibited
mathematical equations. ** But it's not just the act of putting equations in
a gallery or the beauty of the "photographs" that made this exhibition
special. Beside each equation is a title and "commentary" in Justin's own
words, often explaining why the equation is beautiful, or in some cases,
ugly. I would never have thought that giving a girl an equation from quantum
physics was "romantic" until I read Justin's description of entanglement ...
Justin's words have a way of making you stop and think about the equations
in a way that the pictures on their own simply wouldn't. *[
http://www.lablit.com/article/81]

For a sample gallery of works, see the website www.justinmullins.com .

TIME: 6 - 7.30pm, Tuesday 9 January 2007
PLACE: London Knowledge Lab, 23-29 Emerald St, London, WC1N 3QS
[Travel information / Maps:
http://www.lkl.ac.uk/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=32
]

All welcome. No reservation required, but an email to Phillip Kent [
p.kent at ioe.ac.uk] would be appreciated.

*FORTHCOMING SEMINARS (2nd Tuesday of the month -  speakers to be
confirmed):

*13 February:    David Singmaster "The Three Rabbits - The History of a
mathematical puzzle pattern from c 600 to the present"
13 March:       Smart Geometry - speakers from Foster & Partners architects

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Dr Phillip Kent
London Knowledge Lab - Institute of Education
23 - 29 Emerald St
London WC1N 3QS
p.kent at ioe.ac.uk
tel 020 7763 2156   mobile 07950 952034
www.ioe.ac.uk/tlrp/technomaths
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