Mathematics and Art Connections Expressed in Artworks by South African Students

Abstract

In this chapter, we examine a collection of drawings, and paintings from South African students between the ages of 10 to 17, that provide fresh and original perceptions to some already known topics, but also several unexpected connections between mathematics and art. These works reference classic math-art connections such as: golden ratio, spirals, infinity, and geometric figures; they also contain several personal reflections, unique discoveries and references to ethnomathematical connections within the African cultural heritage. To introduce their pieces and themselves, students shared their own interpretations of their artworks. These commentaries make possible the identification of cognitive, emotional and perceptual patterns. The chapter’s aim is to provide insights into several pragmatic implications of the epistemological and ontological perspectives of mathematics and art connections in learning, and to introduce the MathArtWork method and terminology in the context of creative STEAM education.