Exhibition Review

Ben Hoffman The Cartesian Medium　Ben Hoffman, an artist from the great state of Nevada is being featured here in our very own Nevada Museum of Art. He is showcasing a digital mathematic display of beauty as well as brilliance. For those of you that think to yourselves math? How can math be involved in this beautiful art? The fact is the math is very much a part of these creations. It is so much of this work in fact that it is what makes the art itself.

You see Ben has always been interested in math, but he has also been interested in the beauty of the world around him. Ben began to work with both of these worlds in mathematic parallels and math visualizations. When the final art creation is produced from this combination it is called “the Cartesian Medium.” Ben created or “coined” this term himself.

It is amazing to me the process that happens when Ben creates these works. When he sees something he likes he draws it and at the same time starts to sketch down math equations. These math equations create an outcome that place a point on a graph. They also tell the color, position, shape, details, so on and so forth. These pictures a made not by a paint brush or a camera, but from mathematic equations overlaid one by one. It is taking binary code to an entirely different level.

When you see these images you think to yourself is Ben Hoffman more of an artist or more of a mathematician? In a perfect world I say it is a great combination of both. While looking at these works I saw many things; trees, grass, pinecones, etc… though there was one thing that drew my attention to it immediately! As soon as I entered there stood this tall feather. It seemed to be the center piece of the entire showcase. As I looked at the feather and studied it deeply I couldn’t help but think of the equations that went into creating it. Simply mind boggling!

This exhibit is a must see! I plan to go a few more times. Very interesting stuff even for a guy like me who isn’t too interested in mathematic equations. Thank you Ben Hoffman for your contribution to the art world. Keep up the good work and way to represent Nevada!

Check out Ben Hoffman's web site at: http://cartesianmedium.com/CM/Home.html