Finding Geometry in Art
Teaching middle school mathematics
in the state of Texas has become more challenging today than in the past. With
the movement of TEKS up and down the grade levels (link to changes at the
bottom), many gaps have been created in the students’ mathematical knowledge,
and it has forced the teachers to become extra resourceful and strategic with their
lesson plans and teaching approaches. As a consequence, many teachers do not
see outside-the-classroom learning as the best option for teaching mathematics,
instead, they opt for more traditional in-class learning. For this reason, I
decided to go outside the classroom, and out of my comfort zone, to find
meaningful experiences for my students that can enhance their learning and
create a better understanding of the mathematics concepts they learn in my class.
After looking at several
options for my adventure, I decided to visit the Museum of Geometric and MADI
Art, in Dallas, Texas. This museum is actually the only museum dedicated specially
to geometric and MADI art in all of North America, and it’s conveniently
located right in the middle of our great city. A short description of MADI art
is art that is not representative of a hidden meaning, and it is focused on the
object and the colors themselves. You simply enjoy the pieces for what they are
instead of trying to figure out the emotions the artist was trying to express
when he or she created it.
I was pleasantly
surprised when I found out that the MADI movement started in Buenos Aires,
Argentina, by an artist named Carmelo Arden Quin, in the 1940s. I say
pleasantly surprised because many of my students are from Latin America, and I’m
sure I can find some cultural connections here and use them to get my students
a little more interested into exploring this museum.
To say the least, I felt like a kid in a candy store. This place has so much art that can very easily be connected
to many of the concepts I teach in my classroom. They are not only visually
stunning, but the mathematics behind each peace is simply amazing. Most of the
art are paintings, but there are also sculptures and moving art that are just
as fascinating. Some of these pieces really make you wonder how they were
created and make you think about all the mathematics you can easily see in
them. I currently teach 7th and 8th grade mathematics, and I can
tell you that I can definitely use some of the pieces I saw as models for my
students to recreate, as they explore each of their geometric properties.
Before visiting the
museum I read some articles on cultural connections to geometry, and I was very
lucky to find some of the examples the shown in the articles. The museum had a
few Islamic art pieces, which beautifully show tessellations, and also African
American quilts, which are not only rich in history, but also show interesting
geometric patterns. I was hoping to find some Native American weavings or
stained-glass paintings I also read about, but the museum did not have any.
Even though my research
gave me a lot of ideas on activities I can do with my students to help them
better understand geometric concepts, I found some on my own that I think my
students would be very interested in.
One of the activities I
would love to do is to have my students create their own versions of Salvador
Presta’s MADI pieces (pictures below), which involve 3-dimensional shapes that
create 2-dimensional figures when hung from the ceiling. This project would allow
the students to create their own works of art, and at the same time, learn about
the properties of each 3-D shape and the 2-D figures they create when they are
precisely measured and aligned. Several relevant concepts such as similarity,
congruency, symmetry, angles, dilation, reflection, translation and measurement
could also be emphasized with is project.
Another activity would be
to connect geometry to art. Our school happens to have a very strong arts
program, so it would be feasible to have students create their own versions of
some of the paintings with the help of an art student. My students would be responsible
for making sure a given number of geometric concepts are included in the
painting, and the art students would help them figure out the
artistic aspects of it. Perhaps my students will find a new passion for art, and
the art students an interest in geometric painting.
In a perfect world, I would
love to take all my students to this museum so they can see how mathematics can
be found in arts and culture. However, that is not very likely to happen because
of logistics and other complications. Therefore, I believe it is up to me, the
teacher, to go outside the classroom and find effective non-traditional ways to
teach my students the given curriculum in a way that engages them and makes
them excited about and interested in what their learning in my class. Creating
these types of experiences build memories, which are easier to remember than formulas
on a wall, rules on a chart, or problems in a workbook.
Informational Links
The Museum of Geometry
and MADI Art
Native American Weavings
The Beauty of Geometry
Changes in TEKS
Here are more photos of the great art this museum has!
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