UWM Arts+Technology Night

Divide & Conquer is an exploration of the relationship between art and math. The piece consists of a wall diagram depicting five different frames that together map out a single equation. The numbers of each equation are symbolized by various amounts of traditional dice.  Individually, each frame represents a single square, where certain areas of the square are shaded a precise color and number. The numbers that make up the equations portray algebraic patterns drawn from the study of Combinatorics, particularly the Diamond and Corollary Theorems.

Each frame leads the viewer’s eye through its own pathway, describing a connection between all five of them along the way, while the cipher language is hidden inside the placement and design patterns of each die. The maze-like images include wrong turns that are determined by incorrect equations, possibly leading the viewer back to the first frame. For example, a particular number could be placed in the wrong column, or there may be one too many of a certain color of die.  The frames are arranged based on their level of ease and difficulty. The full piece is presented on a wall, in the format of a portrait, with its shape outline adding a dynamic effect to each numerical pathway.