Finely Tiny: A mathematician's artistic geometry

If you grew up in Bangladesh and attended a school under the NCTB (National Curriculum and Textbook Board), you'd likely agree that art and mathematics didn't exactly go hand in hand. 

It was almost as if students were split between two vastly different worlds—Science (covering physics, chemistry, and mathematics), and on the other end was arts. There are little to no opportunities for these two sides to intersect and unify calculations and creativity in this curriculum. 

Coming from a similar schooling background, I believe you can understand my bemusement when Alliance Francaise de Dhaka hosted an art exhibition on 2 November (open till 9 November) where the artist claimed to have integrated mathematics into her artwork. 

The concept would either make  you yawn (especially if you were a backbencher at school like yours truly) or would drag you to a newfound appreciation for the intricacy and juxtaposition of artistic ideologies and mathematical formulae Élise Grosjean implemented in her solo exhibition 'Finely Tiny.'

"I teach math and I have been drawing ever since I could remember so I have had a good grasp of both fields since childhood," Élise Grosjean told The Business Standard. 

When Élise is not solving complex mathematical equations as an assistant professor at an engineering university in Paris, she is always curled up in drawing and painting every chance she gets. Apart from the one common denominator present in her two divergent passions of art and math—her love for intricate geometric designs, there is a blend of different cultures present in her work.

"Geometric shapes are heavily present in my artworks and I try to find symmetry between such shapes and inspirational aspects that I have taken from different cultures," Élise added.

For context, consider her 2012 piece titled 'Hexagon.' The title itself refers to a geometric shape, and in the artwork, you can see patterns and motifs that resemble henna or mehendi designs, like the ones you might have seen your sister wear at a close friend's wedding. 

Élise has always been drawn to these designs, influenced by her many trips to India and a long-standing fascination since childhood. Created with Chinese ink on paper, Hexagon also reflects an Oriental influence.

When Élise is not solving complex mathematical equations as an assistant professor, she is curled up in drawing and painting with every chance she gets. Apart from the one common denominator present in her two divergent passions of art and math—her love for intricate geometric designs, a blend of different cultures is also present in her work.

Speaking to art critic Moinuddin Khaled at the event, he further explained that Élise's use of repetitive mehendi designs isn't merely decorative—there's more to it.

"These works carry elements of Tantra art, infused with a touch of Indian mystical thought. It's evident that there's a profound understanding of life underlying the ornamentation in her pieces," he shared.

And of course, the pieces of painting have to tell a story. These stories don't have to necessarily be linked with just geometric shapes—they can be related to mathematics in other forms as well. 

Her 2023 piece 'Print "Hello, World!"' is one such painting which depicts a building with multiple floors. Through the open windows on each floor, you can see people working on their computers and laptops.

"We use computers in mathematics every day. In this piece, the subjects are busy and concentrated on solving equations, programming and coding. I've included error messages and optics equations."

She continues, "The subjects are working with technology but you can see they are alone, with no human contact. This painting tells an open-ended story—just like computers, which are full of endless possibilities," said Élise.

One other striking aspect of her body of work is her application of using miniature motifs. Miniatures may sound minimalistic, and indeed they are; however, they uphold the most details— adding to the larger storyline of the painting.

"The miniatures provide a contrast to the dominating subject. The intricacies of the subjects in such paintings are translated by and are given deeper meanings by these miniatures," concluded Moinuddin Khaled.

TBS Picks: A selection of artworks with comments from Élise Grosjean

A Blue and Red Elephant (2018)
Medium: Acrylic, salt paste, and ink on paper

I like to draw hidden forms. It's not something we can see at first glance, but if you observe closely, smooth details emerge on a bigger scale. You can see there is one message and you can also see the elephants. 

Silhouette (2012)
Medium: Fineliner pen, Indian ink and watercolour on paper

Each of my pieces always centres on one main subject. Here, you can see the silhouette of a woman who is crying. Hidden within the painting are small details of her daily life—there's a piano tucked somewhere, suggesting she might play it. Scattered strings also appear, hinting that she might sew. She is related to all of these objects

Kite (2022)
Medium: Acrylic and ink on paper

It has a touch of Mughal design. Besides the kites, I've included windows that resemble Mughal-style patterns. The windows feature many designs, adding to the aesthetic. The piece is colourful, as kites need to capture children's interest from a playing perspective as well.