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WELLESLEY,
Mass. -- Are quantitative and mathematical skills really
relevant for all students? Even, for example, for art
majors? A new lecture series beginning at Wellesley College
this spring will take a look at the myriad ways in which
quantitative skills are applicable to all subjects, but
especially art.
Wellesley's
Quantitative Reasoning Program kicks off this new series, “Celebrating QR Connections,” thanks
to a recent gift from alumna Ellen Genat Hoffman ’68
and her husband Stephen. In this inaugural year of the
series, the lectures focus on the connection between quantitative
reasoning and art. In future years, other connections will
be examined, such as that between QR and biology or QR
and literature.
The
four lectures in this year’s “QR and Art” series
focus on how various quantitative skills are used in understanding,
dating, conserving and creating art. The first lecture,
on Wednesday, March 10, at 4:30 pm in Pendleton West Hall,
room 212, is by the Harvard Art Museum’s senior conservation
scientist Narayan Khandekar on the many different quantitative
techniques he uses, including chemical analyses, to understand
and conserve works of art.
The
March 16 talk explores an unusual way in which personal
letters and astronomical, meteorological and topographical
data were combined to provide evidence on the exact date
and location of van Gogh’s Moonrise painting. Don
Olson, professor of physics and astronomy, and Marilynn
Olson, professor of English, both at Texas State University,
will share their story of how art and science combine on
this and other research projects. The Olsons’ presentation
is at 4:30 in Pendleton West 212.
The last two lectures feature well-known artists working
in very different media. MIT Professor John Meada will
talk about his artistic journey and current place at the
crossroads of art and technology. He will show many of
his digital designs at his presentation on March 30 at
5 pm in Wellesley's Collins Cinema
The April 7 speaker is famed quilt-maker Jinny Beyer.
Her talk at 12:30 pm in Collins Cinemas will feature her
own quilt designs as well as tessellations (the formation
of a mosaic pattern) by mathematical print artist M.C.
Escher and others. The talk will include a hands-on design
workshop.
“Not only have we lined up outstanding public speakers,
but each of the images they will show us in these talks
speaks far more than the proverbial thousand words," said
Wellesley QR Director Corri Taylor. "These presentations
will fill your senses and make you appreciate both the
works of art and the value of QR skills in understanding
and creating art.” For more information, contact
the Office for Public Information at 781-283-2373.
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