XXXYZ

Curve stitching is made possible by the use of straight lines sewn or drawn over a grid to create shapes and optical effects. It was first developed in the late 1800's by a self taught mathematician and educator named Mary Everest Boole. Boole suggested that curve stitching be utilized by children as a graphic way of learning mathematic principles. These same mathematic principles were widely publicized in the 1960's by French engineer and mathematician Pierre Bezier. Bezier developed the Bezier curve as a means to describe any second degree type curve with only four points. This fundamentally changed the formation of form in design and manufacturing and has become the basis of defining form in modern computer graphics. Bezier's invention was first published in 1962 and the popularization of "string art" as a hobby and folk art soon followed. The first to market string art to a wide audience was Californian artist John Eichinger. Eichenger's kit helped string art grow as a popular folk art movement and also ushered in the return of curve stitching to the educational setting.

 

The XXXYZ project is inspired by the practice of curve stitching and highlights its core basis as a mathematical function, but also accepts the historical and anecdotal implications with folk art and craft, computer graphics practice and as an educational endeavor.

 

XXXYZ is a collaboration project between Yo Oshima, Cory Grosser, and Jen Silbert