[NetBehaviour] Hyperbolic crochet coral reef.
marc garrett
marc.garrett at furtherfield.org
Thu Sep 13 15:37:56 CEST 2007
Hyperbolic crochet coral reef.
The Institute For Figuring is crocheting a coral reef: a woolly
celebration of the intersection of higher geometry and feminine
handicraft, and a testimony to the disappearing wonders of the marine
world. Designed and curated by IFF co-directors: Christine and Margaret
Wertheim.
One of the acknowledged wonders of the natural world, the Great Barrier
Reef stretches along the coast of Queensland like a psychadelic serpent,
a riotous profusion of color and form unparalleled on our planet. But
global warming and agricultural pollutants so threaten this fragile
monster that scientists now believe the reef will be dead in 30 years.
As a homage to the Great One, the Wertheims - who grew up in Queensland
- have instigated a project to crochet a woolen reef. Using the
techniques of hyperbolic crochet discovered by mathematician Daina
Taimina, the Institute has been evolving a wide taxonomy of reef-life
forms - loopy "kelps", fringed "anemones", and curlicued "corals."
Though the process that brings these models into being is algorithmic,
endless permutations of the underlying formulae result in a constantly
surprising panoply of shapes. The quality of yarn, style of stitch and
tightness of the crochet all affect the finished model so that each is
as individual as a living organism. The reef is made up of various
sub-reefs, each with its own colors and styling and each evoking a
particular strata of marine life: the kelp section (green/grey), coral
section (orange), and anemone section (blue/black). Like its biological
counterparts, the crochet reef grows slowly: each piece is hand-made and
individually thought out.
more...
http://www.theiff.org/reef/index.html
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