A brilliant ‘geometric ballet’ of sound, shape and symmetry on the theme of 180°
Over the last decade or so, the inherent beauty and elegance of maths has proven fertile territory for video artists looking to put their keen eyes, exacting minds and technical wizardry on display. But as the old proverb goes and this 1966 short film shows, there is nothing new under the sun. A classic production from the National Film Board of Canada, this short animated film sets some 300 transformations, divisions and subdivisions of triangles to a piano waltz, making for a viewing experience that still enchants 50 years later.
Director: René Jodoin
videoMathematics
After centuries of trying, we’ve yet to arrive at a perfect way to map colour
20 minutes
videoHistory of science
Insect aesthetics – long viewed as pests, in the 16th century bugs became beautiful
8 minutes
videoMusic
A riveting audiovisual dive into what makes sounds harmonious, or not
28 minutes
videoNature and landscape
After independence, Mexico was in search of identity. These paintings offered a blueprint
15 minutes
videoMathematics
Spiral into the ‘golden ratio’ – and separate the myths from the maths
4 minutes
videoArt
A young Rockefeller collects art on a fateful journey to New Guinea
7 minutes
videoHistory of science
How we came to know the size of the Universe – and what mysteries remain
26 minutes
videoArchitecture
A lush tour of Fallingwater – the Frank Lloyd Wright design that changed architecture
14 minutes
videoArt
Defying classification, fantastical artworks reframe the racism of Carl Linnaeus
8 minutes