Traveling Math-Infused Art Installation Invites Curiosity and Creativity

Led by mathematician Ingrid Daubechies, "Mathemalchemy" is a unique multimedia installation that merges math with creativity. Celebrated on Pi Day, it highlights the interconnectedness of these two disciplines through a 360-degree immersive experience.

Ingrid Daubechies, a mathematician renowned for integrating creativity into her work, is leading a traveling installation known as "Mathemalchemy." This unique project celebrates both mathematics and art, creating an engaging multimedia experience that invites curiosity.

With a special emphasis on Pi Day, March 14, which this year coincides with the International Day of Mathematics, Daubechies is slated to showcase her innovative work at the University of Quebec in Montreal. In her preparations, she is known to bake cookies shaped like the pi constant, favoring a savory rendition that features Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and aromatic herbs.

Her pi cookie cutter is notable in its design, allowing for perfect tiling with no dough waste—an ode to the mathematical precision that characterizes her work.

The "Mathemalchemy" exhibit, a striking 20 feet long, 10 feet wide, and nearly 10 feet high, represents years of passion by Daubechies and her collaborators, including fiber artist Dominique Ehrmann and a team of 24 artistic mathematicians. This interactive installation, which debuted in 2022 at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington D.C., aims to illustrate the beauty of mathematics in a dynamic way.

As the installation makes waves across various locations, the upcoming events in Montreal promise to expand the conversation around the intersection of math and creativity, reconceptualizing how these fields can coalesce and inspire.