Lumen Naturae

This book is about how certain ideas related to the concept of space in mathematics and physics have been expressed, whether intentionally or unintentionally, in contemporary and abstract art. It discusses the notion of space, and related abstract notions such as randomness, entropy, the geometry of numbers, the shape of the cosmos, and how such notions were envisioned and elaborated in both scientific developments and across the history of modern and contemporary art, especially abstract art. The author, a mathematical physicist, presents a series of mathematical and scientific concepts and themes and describe their counterparts in the work of (mostly) contemporary artists. Readers with a more advanced scientific background will find precise mathematical terminology, while the material is organized so that people can also read through the text by ignoring the more technical aspects and still follow easily the plain language explanation of ideas and concepts. Scientifically minded readers will recognizefamiliar concepts, such as entropy, randomness, and topology, as playing an important role in the language of abstract art. Artists, art historians, and art enthusiasts who are curious about the ideas underlying modern developments in mathematics and theoretical physics will see the connections to the work of contemporary artists--