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The Mathematical Art of
 David A. Reimann

Biography

David A. Reimann

David Reimann shares his lifelong love of mathematics through his visual art. Mathematical elements such as symmetry, geometry, and number are common themes in his work, used to create patterns that convey messages on multiple levels and scales. His piece Pi exemplifies this by celebrating the mathematical constant π, its relationship with the circle, and the infinitely many digits in its decimal representation. He frequently gives talks and exhibits his original art at both the Joint Mathematics Meetings (JMM) and the Bridges Conference, the largest international conference on mathematical art. At the 2022 JMM, Reimann’s work Septenary Circles won “Outstanding photograph, painting or print.” He also provided original cover art for Mathematics Magazine, a publication of the Mathematical Association of America, from 2015 through 2020. His recent solo exhibitions include “Math to the Power of Art,” (Albion College’s Bobbitt Visual Arts Center, Albion, Michigan, 2024) and “Pi and Other Delights” (National Museum of Mathematics, New York, 2023).

Born in 1963 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, he lives and works in Albion, Michigan. Reimann has bachelor's and master's degrees in mathematics and a doctoral degree in computer science. He is a Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Albion College where, in addition to teaching standard courses in mathematics and computer science, he has also taught courses on mathematical art. Prior to joining the faculty of Albion College in 1996, he spent ten years as a medical imaging researcher at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

Education

  • Ph.D. in Computer Science, Wayne State University, 1998
  • M.A. in Mathematics, Wayne State University, 1990
  • B.S. in Mathematics, University of Toledo, 1986

Solo Exhibitions

  • Math to the Power of Art, Bobbitt Visual Arts Center, Albion College, Albion, Michigan, 18 August – 28 September 2024.
  • Pi and Other Delights, Composite Gallery, National Museum of Mathematics, New York, New York. 20 May – 19 August 2023.
  • Mathematics as Muse, Ella Sharp Museum, Jackson, Michigan. 1–31 October 2016.

Group Exhibitions

Commissions

  • Cover Art, Mathematics Magazine, Mathematics Association of America (MAA), 2015-2019.
  • Synergy Squared Funded by the MAA Special Interest Group on Mathematics and the Arts (SIGMAA-ARTS). January 2017.

Selected Public Activities

  • Fire Pyre (Sculpture build), Family day, Bridges Conference, Stockholm, Sweden, 25–29 July. 2018.
  • Trisection Tribute (Sculpture build), Tri-section Meeting of the Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan Sections of the MAA, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana, 23–24 March 2018.
  • “Mathematics in art, art in mathematics” (Keynote Address), Michigan Mathematics Prize Competition Awards Banquet, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, 11 March 2017.
  • Synergy Squared (Sculpture build), Joint Mathematics Meetings, Atlanta, Georgia, 4–7 January 2017.
  • Square-Expanded (3,1)-Golberg Polyhedron (Sculpture build), Bridges Conference, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland, 9–13 August 2016.
  • “Building with squares” (Workshop), MoSAIC Festival, University of Colorado - Boulder, 2 April 2016.
  • “Creating Escher-like tessellations” (Workshop), MoSAIC Festival, University of Colorado - Boulder, 2 April 2016.
  • “Mathematics in the art of M.C. Escher” (Public Lecture), MoSAIC Festival, University of Colorado - Boulder, 1 April 2016.
  • “Creating Escher-like tessellations” (Workshop), MoSAIC Festival, MIT Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 11–12 December 2015.
  • “Mathematics in the art of M.C. Escher” (Public Lecture), MoSAIC Festival, MIT Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 11–12 December 2015.
  • “Mathematics in the art of M.C. Escher” (Public Lecture), MoSAIC Festival, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, 14–15 November 2015.
  • “Creating Escher-like tessellations” (Workshop), MoSAIC Festival, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, 14–15 November 2015.
  • “Mathematical building with squares: A hands-on mathematical art sculture construction” (Workshop), Ella Sharp Museum, Jackson, Michigan, June 25 - July 2 2015.
  • “Mathematical art of the MoSAIC exhibition” (Gallery Talk), Ella Sharp Museum, Jackson, Michigan, 11 June 2015.

Selected Academic Presentations

  • A retrospective of creating five years of cover art for Mathematics Magazine. Joint Mathematics Meetings, Denver, Colorado, 14–18 January, 2020.
  • Simultaneously visualizing symmetry subgroups. Joint Mathematics Meetings, Baltimore, Maryland, 16–19 January. 2019.
  • “Panoramic photographic polyhedral pavilions,” Joint Mathematics Meetings, San Diego, California, 10–13 January 2018. (with Antoniu Fodor)
  • “Symmetry: A mathematical approach using group theory and linear algebra,” Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium, Albion College, Albion, Michigan, 19 October 2017.
  • “Sheets, tubes, and capsules constructed from corner connected rectangles,” Joint Mathematics Meetings, Atlanta, Georgia, 4–7 January 2017. (with Liliya Chernysheva)
  • “Mathematics in the art of M.C. Escher,” Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium, Albion College, Albion, Michigan, 8 September 2016.
  • “Forms resulting from replacing edges with flexible plates in convex equilateral polyhedra,” Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium, Albion College, Albion, Michigan, 4 February 2016.
  • “Forms resulting from replacing edges with flexible plates in convex equilateral polyhedra,” Joint Mathematics Meetings, Seattle, Washington, 6–9 January 2016.
  • “Soccer-ball symmetries: Exploring symmetric patterns on spheres,” Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium, Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan, 29 October 2015.
  • “Symmetry groups: The mathematical connection between patterns in Moorish architecture and the artwork of M.C. Escher,” Given multiple times:
    • KME Induction Ceremony, Dominican University, River Forest, Illinois, 12 April 2015.
    • Mathematics Colloquium, Hope College, Holland, Michgan, 2 December 2014.
    • Mathematics Colloquium, Alma College, Alma, Michigan, 7 October 2013.
    • Pi Mu Epsilon Lecture, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan, 29 March 2013.
    • Mathematics and Computer Science Department Colloquium, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 6 March 2013.
    • Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium, University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, Michigan, 27 November 2012.
    • Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium, Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan, 11 April 2012.
    • Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium, Albion College, Albion, Michigan, 15 September 2011.
    • Faculty Lecture, Dominican University, Albion College, Albion, Michigan, 9 September 2011.
  • “Halftoning images using solid convex and nonconvex dodecagons on a hexagonal tessellation,” Joint Mathematics Meetings, San Antonio, Texas, 10–13 January 2015.
  • “Relationships between Platonic solids and Scottish carved stone balls,” Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium, Albion College, Albion, Michigan, 25 September 2014.
  • “Relationships between Scottish carved stone balls and Platonic solids,” Annual Meeting of the Michigan Section of the Mathematical Association of America, University of Michigan-Flint, 2–3 May. 2014.
  • “Symmetries of generalized Truchet tiles,” Joint Mathematics Meetings, Balitmore, Maryland, 15–18 January 2014.
  • “Symmetries on spheres,” Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium, Albion College, Albion, Michigan, 12 September 2013.
  • “Symmetric interlace patterns on polyhedra using generalized Truchet tiles,” Symmetry Festival, Delft, Netherlands, 2–7 August 2013.
  • “Point symmetry patterns on 1-uniform tessellations,” Joint Mathematics Meetings, San Diego, California, 9–12 January 2013.
  • “Tessellations and symmetries of the plane,” Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium, Albion College, Albion, Michigan, 27 September 2012.
  • “Modular construction of knot and link patterns from simple tangles on k-uniform tessellations,” Joint Mathematics Meetings, Boston, Massachusetts, 4–7 January 2012.
  • “Exploring the mathematical themes of M. C. Escher’s artwork,” Mathematics and Computer Science Colloquium, Albion College, Albion, Michigan, 17 September 2009.

Selected Writing

  • “Visualizing symmetry subgroup structures using simple motifs,” Bridges Conference Proceedings, July 2018. Paper [pdf]
  • “Transforming Squares to Strips in Expanded Polyhedral Forms,” Bridges Conference Proceedings, July 2017. Paper [pdf]
  • “Snub Polyhedral Forms Constructed from Flexible 60-120 Degree Rhombic Tiles,” Bridges Conference Proceedings, August 2016. Paper [pdf]
  • “Nonplanar expansions of polyhedral edges in Platonic and Archimedean solids,” Bridges Conference Proceedings, July 2015. Paper [pdf]
  • “Art and Symmetry of Scottish Carved Stone Balls,” Bridges Conference Proceedings, August 2014. Paper [pdf]
  • “Symmetric interlace patterns on polyhedra using generalized Truchet tiles,” Symmetry: Culture and Science, volume 24, pages 185-190, pages 127–130, July 2011.
  • “Point Symmetric Ribbon Patterns using a Hexagonal Motif from M.C. Escher,” Bridges Conference Proceedings, July 2013. Paper [pdf]
  • “Symmetric interlace patterns on regular octahedra,” HYPERSEEING: Special Issue on SMI/ISAMA, July 2013. Paper in full proceedings [pdf]
  • “Point Symmetry Patterns on a Regular Hexagonal Tessellation,” Bridges Conference Proceedings, July 2012. Paper [pdf]
  • “Modular construction of knots,” HYPERSEEING: Proceedings of ISAMA, pages 63–69, June 2012. Paper in full proceedings [pdf]
  • “Decorating Regular Tiles with Arcs,” Bridges Conference Proceedings, July 2011. Paper [pdf]
  • “Tessellation patterns from a simply decorated triangle,” HYPERSEEING: Proceedings of ISAMA, pages 127–130, June 2011. Paper in full proceedings [pdf]
  • “Patterns from Archimedean Tilings Using Generalized Truchet Tiles Decorated with Simple Bézier Curves,” Bridges Conference Proceedings, July 2010. Paper [pdf]
  • “Text from Truchet Tiles,” Bridges Conference Proceedings, July 2009. Paper [pdf]

Interviews of Mathematical Artists

  • “Chris K. Palmer: Origami in action,” Mathematics Magazine 90(5):380–382, December 2017. (with Amy L. Reimann)
  • “Anne Burns: Mathematical botanist,” Mathematics Magazine 89(5):375–377, December 2016. (with Amy L. Reimann)
  • “Dick Termes: Art of the sphere,” Mathematics Magazine 89(4):290–292, October 2016. (with Amy L. Reimann)
  • “Robert Fathauer: Polymath purveyor,” Mathematics Magazine 89(3):220–222, June 2016. (with Amy L. Reimann)
  • “Bjarne Jespersen: The magic woodcarver,” Mathematics Magazine 89(1):55–57, February 2016. (with Amy L. Reimann)
  • “George Hart: Troubadour for geometry,” Mathematics Magazine 88(5):374–6, December 2015. (with Amy L. Reimann)

Exhibitions Curated

  • Mathematical Art Exhibition (with Joshua Holden), Tri-Section Meeting of the Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan Sections of the MAA, Valparaiso University, 23-24 March 2018.

Media Coverage

  • “The 2019 Joint Mathematics Meetings Exhibition of Mathematical Art,” Elizabeth Whiteley, Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, 13:4, 383-394, 2019, DOI: 10.1080/17513472.2019.1601380
  • “The Bridges 2018 mathematical art exhibitions,” Douglas Dunham, Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, 2019. DOI: 10.1080/17513472.2019.1654330x
  • “The Bridges 2018 mathematical art exhibitions,” Karl Kattchee, Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, 12:1, 34-43, 2018. DOI: 10.1080/17513472.2017.1394089.
  • Pearl Conard Art Gallery presents In the Realm of Forms exhibition, Richland Source, 8 November 2015.
  • “Bridges 2015: a meeting of maths and art - in pictures” by Alex Bellos and Tash Reith-Banks. Alex Bellos's Adventures in Numberland, The Guardian. 30 Jul 2015
  • Cogito, Ergo Summer by Siobhan Roberts. The New Yorker. 27 August 2015.
  • Bridges Math Art Conference Seoul – Part 2, Susan Happersett. fibonaccisusan (Blog post). 28 August 2014.
  • David Reimann dives into the symmetrical — and sometimes, asymmetrical — world of Math Art, Michelle Mueller, Albion Recorder, 2 May 2013.

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