A technical and exact subject like geometry might seem the utter opposite of the less rigid, more fluid field of art, but a new exhibit at Union’s Wikoff Student Gallery illustrates that abstract art often depends on geometry to create complex, meaningful pieces.
“One could argue that geometry is the mathematical model we use to describe our visual world,” said Alex Handin ’10, one of two students whose work comprises the exhibit. “We could describe every shape we see as a combination of circles, triangles, squares or trapezoids.
“Visual art requires geometry to mimic the real world. Without it, we would lack a common language and foundation on which to build our artistic interpretations of the world.”
In his work, Handin uses different geometric perspectives to explore the relationship between musician, music, instrument and listener. One image, for instance, features a close-up view of a guitarist abstractly framed behind a music stand. By framing the musician so tightly, Handin said, he was able to show the intimate connection between listener and performer.
Artist Emily Burgess ’10 also uses geometry to inform her forays into styles other than those she most frequently employs.
“I primarily paint landscapes, but every once in a while I need to take a break, and geometric abstractions have become a recurring theme,” she said.
Burgess uses these abstractions to provide the groundwork for impulsivity in her painting and sculptures. Forms and angles give pieces structure, she points out, and at the same time, the artistic process offers a sense of nuance.
“My sculptures, for example, are based on general principles of volume, line and plane, but also on the interplay of steel’s rigidity with fiber’s flexibility,” she said. “Geometry forms the base for me to build upon in paint or steel.”
The show, free and open to the public, runs through Sunday, March 7.