Blog

Open call 

14 June 2019

We finally got off the ground!

The open call has been sent out, and we are preparing for the workshop to meet with artists.

I'm incredibly excited to explore how mathematicians and artists can work together and to the infinitely many opportunities arising from this project. Will it be possible to explain a topic such as the "Finite Topology Conjecture" to the general public by using art? What are the difficulties to communicate maths? Can we do better than we currently do?

Exciting times.

Workshop

14 June 2019

I'm thinking about the programme for the workshop.

Tentative:

• Welcome (Katrin)
• Introduction of short listed artists
• Maths presentation: what is the mathematical background?
• Coffee break (time to ask about the maths!)
• Creative work: team discussion
• Creative work: prepare project proposal (individual)
• Final discussion/feedback session

Look out for the poster around campus and town

18 June 2019

Dr Katrin Leschke invites Artists to respond to research on the topic of the “Finite Topology conjecture” to produce artwork to be presented at the m:iv international research group conference in September 2019 at the University of Leicester.

June – September 2019

• Expressions of interest by 23 June 2019
• Invited artists’ proposal development workshop: 26 June 2019
• Final artists selection announcement: 30 June 2019

First responses

20 June 2019

The first responses are coming in - and very exciting project ideas.

I am talking to members of the University how we could use 3D printers, virtual reality and other tools to add to the workshop - overall the excitement for this is heartwarming.

Let's keep it going!

Exciting day

24 June 2019

Thank you to all the artists who put such effort and thoughts into their proposals! It's a shame we can only fund at most two and couldn't invite everyone to the workshop - but I hope we will be able to have loads more in the future. Thanks also to Mita and G for their help.

The variety of art forms and approaches should make for an interesting workshop on Wednesday; now I need to figure out how to explain the underlying maths - I trust to get many questions!

Tomorrow will be interesting as well - I will find out whether some of our surfaces can be 3D printed. This would make a nice addition to the final presentation of the art project. Fingers crossed.

Workshop programme and directions

25 June 2019

The programme for the workshop to be held on 26 June 2019, 4.00pm - 8.00pm (KE528)

• Welcome (Katrin)
• Introduction of short listed artists: who are you, what brought you to apply?
• Maths presentation: what is the mathematical background?

• what are minimal surfaces?
• what is an end?
• when is a surface embedded?
• what is the genus of a surface?
• what is the finite topology conjecture?

• Coffee break (time to ask about the maths!)
• Creative work: team discussion
• Creative work: prepare project proposal (individual)
• Final discussion/feedback session

Directions from Leicester Train Station.

(and yeah - we are printing a Costa surface!)

We are getting closer ...

14 August 2019

Rooms to be booked, funding to be found, work to be finalised

Being away for a while in Japan, we are now going into the final phase before the first presentation of work at the m:iv workshop in September. We have three exciting projects: Infinity Core with Lee Allatson, Sounds of surface with Jenny Hibberd and a yet unnamed work with Chloe Aliyanni.

I'm learning a lot from the weekly meetings and it's great to have deep conversations about meaning and context of mathematical results on minimal surfaces. Talking to non-experts with a keen interest in the topic is both challenging and inspiring - I have to find new ways to explain and look at my work from a more conceptual and even more than normal visual point of view. And its amazing to see how the projects are taking shape (literally and metaphorically)!

Spent some time today to talk about promoting the event and finding funding - hope all will fall in place eventually.

Note to self: in the future it might be less stressful to give more time to such a project. But maybe then it would never happen.

Progress

16 August 2019 

Main funding for both events sorted!

Great meetings this week - about promoting the events but also working quite hard on the projects. I'm really curious how this will all pen out at the end but the process so far has been really enjoyable (if not occasionally a bit stressful).

Off for a week now before entering the hot phase.