Do you like paleolithic op-art?

Citation

(2011), "Do you like paleolithic op-art?", Kybernetes, Vol. 40 No. 7/8. https://doi.org/10.1108/k.2011.06740gaa.009

Do you like paleolithic op-art?

Article Type: Special issue abstracts From: Kybernetes, Volume 40, Issue 7/8

Slavik Jablan

The Mathematical Institute, Belgrade, Serbia, and

Ljiljana RadoviĆ

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider the history of certain modular elements: Truchet tiles, Op-tiles, Kufic tiles, and key-patterns, which occur as ornamental archetypes from Paleolithic times until the present. The appearance of the same ornamental archetypes at the same level of the development in different cultures, distant in space and time can be described from the cybernetics point of view as a specific kind of self-referential systems or cellular automata present in the intellectual and cultural development of mankind. The aim of this research is to show a continuity of the development of ornamental structures based on modular elements used as ornamental archetypes.

Design/methodology/approach – Research of the material from archaeological findings, history of art, painting, architecture, and applied arts.

Findings – Existence of universal geometrical construction principles based on modularity.

Practical implications – Creation of new patterns or designs (e.g. TeX-fonts, tiles, etc.) based on modularity.

Originality/value – The paper presents a new explanation of constructions of labyrinths and different Islamic patterns.

Keywords Tiles, Patterns, Modularity, Ornamental archetypes, Self-referential systems, Mathematics, Art

Paper type Conceptual paper