Mathematics

TheFondationCartierpourlartcontemporain,inconjunctionwiththeInstitutdesHautesétudesScientifiques(IHéS)andinpartnershipwithUNESCOisholdingtheexhibitionMathematical,EvenFireIsGovernedByNumberswithonepurposeinmind:toletmathematicsandmathematiciansspeakoutbygivingthemtheopportunitytobrainstormwithmajorartistsfromtheworldofcontemporaryart.Bytakingitoutoftheenvironmentinwhichitisusuallyarticulatedandtaught,theexhibitionseekstocombinetheaesthetic,scientificandeducationalaspectsofmathematicsintooneuniqueexperience.Sixmathematicianshaveengagedinmutualexchangeswiththeguestartists:SirMichaelAtiyah(FieldsMedal,1966,andAbelPrize,2004),AlainConnes(FieldsMedal,1982),NicoleElKaroui,MikhailGromov(AbelPrize,2009),CédricVillani(FieldsMedal,2010)andDonZagier(ColePrize,1987).Accompanyingthesemathematiciansarefourartists:RaymondDepardon,CaiGuo-Qiang,DavidLynchandHiroshiSugimoto.Together,theycollaborateonaseriesofprojects:movies,soundpiecesandinsituinstallations.Acombinationofwrittentexts,questionnairesandportraits,thecataloguealsoillustratesthediversityofmathematicalthoughtasexpressedbythescientistsaswellastheartistsandemphasizestheimportanceofcreativityinthisfield.Alargepartofthebookisalsodevotedtothevisualinterpretationsofmathematicsasconveyedthroughtheworksoftheartistsparticipatingintheexhibition.