Lego and maths add up to special artwork
Mathmetician Dr Conor Lawless and artist James Johnson-Perkins at the Rednile Project Space in Nile Street, Sunderland, working on their project using Lego to create art based on maths.
An artist is recalling his childhood as inspiration for his work, using the unlikely combination of Lego and maths.
James Johnson-Perkins is working with bio-mathematician and researcher Conor Lawless to create Lego structures, drawings and films inspired by mathematical principles.The project, designed to express the "beauty and wonder" of mathematical structures, is part of the Rednile Project's New City Programme –an artist-led initiative based at an old factory in Sunniside, Sunderland.
James, 34, said: "As an artist, I make lots of work to do with nostalgia. In the past I have used things like Lego and 80s TV programmes to inspire me, but for this project I decided to do a collaboration using maths as my inspiration."
Mathmetician Dr Conor Lawless and artist James Johnson-Perkins at the Rednile Project Space in Nile Street, Sunderland, working on their project using Lego to create art based on maths.
An artist is recalling his childhood as inspiration for his work, using the unlikely combination of Lego and maths.
James Johnson-Perkins is working with bio-mathematician and researcher Conor Lawless to create Lego structures, drawings and films inspired by mathematical principles.The project, designed to express the "beauty and wonder" of mathematical structures, is part of the Rednile Project's New City Programme –an artist-led initiative based at an old factory in Sunniside, Sunderland.
James, 34, said: "As an artist, I make lots of work to do with nostalgia. In the past I have used things like Lego and 80s TV programmes to inspire me, but for this project I decided to do a collaboration using maths as my inspiration."
The project is called I Won The Maths Prize At School, because I really did."I stopped doing maths when I was at college so this project is very much about reconnecting with my younger years."As part of the project, Wearsiders can go to the old factory at 56 Nile Street and view James and Dr Lawless at work.The final pieces will then be displayed in an exhibition at the factory from October 6 to 13.
This is the final project run by Rednile's New City Programme, designed to bring artists to the area, open up art and artists' practices and utilizing unused spaces in the city.Suzanne Hutton, Rednile co-founder, said: "The project has gone really well. We have had a lot of visitors and it has helped to raise the profile of art in the city."The aim is to attract artists to the area and get artists who have graduated from Sunderland University to stay in the area. It's making people think differently about Sunderland and putting the city on the map."
To see James at work, drop into the Nile Street project between 10am and 4pm on October 2-4.The final pieces will be exhibited from October October 6-13, from 10am to 4pm.
Sunderland Echo - September 26th 2007
