Thinking Space: The Grid in Art and Math
a workshop at the Philadelphia Museum of Art 
with PMA educators Rebecca Mitchell and Lynda O'Leary

The Philadelphia Museum of Art's Education department offers K-12 teachers of all subject areas the chance to explore the special nature of art and its use as a classroom resource through the VAST  (Visual Arts as Sources for Teaching) Institute. We used the Minimalism exhibit to highlight connections between math and art in the summer of 2015.  Teachers explored the grid through drawing, diagraming, sculpture and dance.

Grids are an especially useful tool of thought, hardwired into our brains and used by humans across time and cultures to take the measure of our surroundings. Artists, mathematicians, engineers and architects use grids to help them understand and manipulate space.  The ability to visualize, manipulate and transform 2 and 3-D visual structures in the mind is fundamental to both art and math.  It is a key indicator in students’ long-term academic and professional success. Experiences of looking at and creating works of art may help develop spatial ability and can significantly enhance student math achievement.  In this workshop, we used grids to think and create in two- and three-dimensions by looking, drawing, making and moving..

Scroll down for video of participants dancing on Carl Andre's floor piece.

Photographer: Tim Tiebout, courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

VAST teacher-participants choreographed dances on a floor piece by Carl Andre
video by Grace Poole, courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Art