ArchiveArt
Mathematical Abstraction – Art by Paul Mogensen
Paul Mogensen, a New York-based painter born in 1941 in Los Angeles, California, stands at the intersection of Minimalism and mathematical abstraction. While Minimalism often conjures images of stark, geometric simplicity, Mogensen’s work resists easy categorisation. His paintings defy immedia
Paul Mogensen, a New York-based painter born in 1941 in Los Angeles, California, stands at the intersection of Minimalism and mathematical abstraction. While Minimalism often conjures images of stark, geometric simplicity, Mogensen’s work resists easy categorisation. His paintings defy immediate comprehension, urging viewers to decipher their intricacies.
Mogensen’s art is a world of movement and progression. Each canvas is a mathematical masterpiece, crafted using principles drawn from Renaissance and Ancient Egyptian theorems. His work is a testament to the power of arithmetic progressions, which dictate the sequence and size of each colour form. The result is a visual code, reminiscent of the universalist ideals of early 20th-century Russian artists and poets like Mayakovsky, Rodchenko, and Tatlin, who deeply influenced Mogensen.
Rather than passive observers, Mogensen’s audience becomes active participants in his art, guided by the mathematical underpinnings of each piece. His work challenges us to engage deeply, unlocking the hidden complexities of abstract forms. In the world of Paul Mogensen, abstraction is not a reduction but a revelation, a mathematical journey that beckons us to explore its elegant mysteries.
