Human Maths was a duo show with Sarah Cale and Various Artists that explored the use of mathematics and coding in their visual art practice. Various Artists invited Sarah Cale to present new work that broadens the definition of what Human Maths can mean and be.
In the works created by Sarah Cale for the exhibition Human Maths, surfaces of paintings were designed with handcrafted jute knot-tying techniques, a repetitive action where form is slowly built-up through layers of idiosyncratic equations. Instead of a blueprint or pattern to rely on, figures appearing in the works are constructed by straying from the repetitive stitch upon which they are built. Through spontaneous manipulations of an established repetitive formula, forms are constructed to reflect the imperfect calculations of human-improvised math.
Various Artists considers ‘human mathematics’ to be an alternative artistic methodology that serves to make abstract art based on mathematics and data. Formal, factual, or personal information is used for the creation of (audio)visual work. The alternative aspect of ‘human mathematics’ lies in its ability to render geometrical art human, complex, and unpredictable. It combines the abstract and the divine aspects of mathematics with the variables of data-based statistics, integrating artistic or personal research data in a multi-layered visual artwork.
Supported by the Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie & nadine vzw.