Rafael Araujo’s Drawings Merge the Worlds of Math and Art

Math and Art are not two subjects that I often think of as being connected – at least, until I discovered the work of Venezuelan artist Rafael Araujo, who uses principles of Geometry to represent the mathematical complexity of nature on canvas.

Ever since he first began drawing perspective pieces as a child, Araujo “loved three-dimensional drawings and liked to find out ways to locate dots in the space.” He was inspired by the work of M.C. Escher, whose drawings prominently feature tricks of perspective and carefully-crafted geometric shapes. Escher’s representation of order and mathematical accuracy within art spoke to Araujo’s own interests.

Using a ruler and a protractor, Araujo constructs a complex landscape of lines, angles, and points in which he locates vividly colored subjects like butterflies and shells. These subjects appear inside a framework of lines, which he says allows him to be more precise with his work.

Scientists and mathematicians often say they are drawn to these subjects because there exists within them a provable right and wrong – the very opposite of art – but if you think that to apply geometric equations to drawing is to impose limitations, think again. According to Araujo, “as problems are solved, you become more adept and, again, daring.”

Araujo compares painting to cooking, in the sense that both require precise measurements. This is not to say that he does not also enjoy more abstract forms of art. He cites Jackson Pollock as a respected artist whose free form is very different from his own work. The difficulty of this style, for Araujo, is in the ability “to make it to appear, if not ‘beautiful,’ well done.”

If Araujo’s work inspires you, grab a pencil, a ruler, and a protractor and see how much you remember from that high school Geometry course. I, for one, would love to see the effect of throwing in a colored line here or there, or making all of the points different colors. Let us know how it goes in the comments!