INFINITE MEASURE This educational exhibit unites the arts and sciences in a unique presentation of geometry and proportion. According to the Boston Globe, it “shimmers with the hope of recreating that joy [of discovery] for viewers of all ages.” INFINITE MEASURE is designed to illuminate the geometric underpinnings of natural and human forms and to show how these proportions manifest themselves in art, music, architecture, and philosophy. In addition to the principles of geometry, the exhibit shows how classical western concepts of unity, harmony, and beauty developed and why they affect our thinking today. The exhibit contains fifty-seven panels—texts, quotes, photographs, and geometric studies (photo murals with silk screening)—and spans 140 linear feet. The panels are arranged around seven themes: elementary geometric figures and their proportions; nature; the human body; music and craft; art; architecture; and the cosmos. Geometric studies include: snow crystals; an iris; golden mean proportions in the face, hand, and Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man; a Stradivarius violin; Raphael’s School of Athens; Hadrian’s Pantheon; and the zodiac. Each grouping is introduced by a quote linking the studies to aspects of western philosophical thought. A number of elements combine to heighten the show’s classical feeling–typography, hand silk screening, and individual panels dimensioned to golden mean proportions. INFINITE MEASURE was produced in 1992 by Brattleboro Museum & Arts Center, Brattleboro Vermont. Related educational programs offered by curator Rachel Fletcher include: a six-lecture course; one-day to two-week workshops for children and educators; introductory lectures; and training sessions for docents. Portions of INFINITE MEASURE are available for rental.
|
Morocco tile Morocco, ten-part motif design with tracing, band patterns
André Paccard, Traditional Islamic Craft in Moroccan Architecture, Vol 1, 1980 |
Rachel Fletcher 
