Crocheting the Hyperbolic Plane
July 16 - August 14, 2005
Opening July 16, 8pm

Until the nineteenth century, mathematicians knew about only two kinds of geometry: the Euclidean plane and the sphere. The discovery of hyperbolic space in the 1820’s and 1830's marked a turning point in mathematics and initiated the formal study of non-Euclidean geometry. Almost two centuries later, Dr. Daina Taimina at Cornell University made a physical model of the hyperbolic plane – a feat many mathematicians had believed was impossible – using crochet. This exhibition presents a collection of crochet models demonstrating the mathematical qualities of hyperbolic space. The exhibition catalog itself has been designed as a hyperbolic book that visitors can construct for themselves.

Curated by the Institute For Figuring

Opening: Saturday July 16, 8-10pm
Crochet Workshop: Sunday August 7, 4 pm. Sorry, workshop is full
Gallery Talk: Sunday August 7, 8pm by Cornell University mathematician Dr. Daina Taimina

View the lecture from the gallery talk Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Read the article on Dr. Taimina in the New York Times:
Read a review of the exhibit from the los Angeles Times
For additional information about hyperbolic space and crochet click here.