Research and Ideas
Researchers Explore Math of Mideast Art

The observed order and consistency in Middle Eastern art is no random pattern, according to some campus researchers who say the ancient geometry is governed by concrete mathematical algorithms that may be able to tune certain lines of thought.

A team of researchers on campus is aiming to study and popularize the intricate historical patterns present primarily in Islamic tile art as they say the geometric patterns behind the art could prove to be a useful learning tool and a cultural art form.

The effort, called the Noor Project, borrows its name from the Arabic word for “light” and seeks to uncover and animate the mathematical algorithms underlying the characteristic ornamentation of Middle Eastern mosques.

The project is the brain child of electrical engineering and computer science visiting fellow Steve Beck, a man who is no stranger to the fusion of art and technology.

Beck is a pioneer of the video synthesizer, video weaver, and TV kaleidoscope, each a testament to his infatuation with patterns and the aesthetic world.

His recent interest in Islamic art stems from an appreciation of usul, an Islamic system of creativity that ignores any separation of art, culture and science, Beck said.

Beck said he believes ancient geometric patterns, also sacred in regions and religions outside the Middle East, may have been crafted with the realization that they were conducive to certain types of thought.

The patterns may be so ubiquitous in mosques, for instance, because of their tendency to self-animate, possibly contributing to religious experiences, he said.

But since the artistic tradition of patterning was passed on orally, the method and mathematics behind the elaborate geometry has been lost, he said.

“We have to invent the algorithms behind these patterns,” he said.

Beck said his goal is to use the algorithms to fuel detailed animations of the patterns for public display.

The animations draw and manipulate the colorful, complex patterns in real time. Any installations will be on energy-efficient LCD screens, he said.

Already there are massive public venues, including prominent Middle Eastern cities, interested in hosting the artwork, Beck said.

True to the usul ideal, Beck said the Noor Project allows him to be both mathematician and cultural activist.

Beck said one of the main motivations for the project was an attempt to

bridge cultural misunderstandings in an era of international hostility.

“We’re focusing on the idea that we can apply technology and the arts and come up with some improvements and enhancements of human life,” he said.

In addition to using the geometry as a teaching aid in high schools, Beck said he wants to install pieces in engineering buildings on campus.

Screens projecting mathematical content should stimulate geometric thought, he said.

“You just see that equation there on the page, but you don’t understand the

dynamic interplay of that equation,” he said. “We will be subliminally reinforcing the topics people are studying and creating a beautiful aesthetic presence.”

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