The unexpected math behind Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' - Natalya St. Clair

Physicist Werner Heisenberg said, “When I meet God, I am going to ask him two questions: why relativity? And why turbulence? I really believe he will have an answer for the first.” As difficult as turbulence is to understand mathematically, we can use art to depict the way it looks. Natalya St. Clair illustrates how Van Gogh captured this deep mystery of movement, fluid and light in his work.

Lesson by Natalya St. Clair, animation by Avi Ofer.

[thesilentnightingale]

For me 'Starry Night' looks like someone looking through tear-welled eyes

[AnnebelBuntOnline]

And in the end Van Gogh probably was like: ' oh lol this looks cool!'

[lynettewood]

I'm an art teacher and painted his Starry Night in preparation for an art class for adults and was surprised to find out how difficult it was. But it mesmerized the students when they painted it. Everyone loved it and put their own interpretation on it. (as art should be)

[GojiraNoKyokai]

“The greatness of a mind is determined by the depth of its suffering.”

― Hayao Miyazaki


I wonder why society shames and ignores great artists when they are still alive and breathing, now it makes sense!

[rainmiao]

Van Gogh‘s mind was too beautiful for this world.

[rimas]

'Starry Night' used to be my favourite painting when I was younger. But I can't remember why. Nowadays, when I look at the painting through old postcards friends and relatives have sent me, knowing of my love for the painting, I feel nothing. And that makes me feel unbelievably sad. It makes me feel more robotic than human.

[bellaportilla]

"For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream."

That's why he's one of my favourite artists - such an unassuming genius.

[Segkee]

"The cracked mind lets in light the whole mind cannot see." - R.D. Laing

[dorothy-clarejacobs]

I seriously doubt that Van Gogh took any of this into consideration when he painted "Starry Night."  He merely looked at the starry sky and in his ill mind he saw its wonders and painted this most loved picture.  I thank him for it.  <3

[crixxxxxxxxx]

I learned that scientists in Mexico wear sombreros and ponchos and those in Spain dress like flamenco dancers.

[KidsWithGuns]

Hold on hold on hold on, I'm obviously a dumb ass cause I don't quite get it. This was essentially saying that "turbulence" is the way in which a certain kind of matter unpredictably/chaoticaly moves, or flows, and we have since been able to theorize an equation that estimates the structure in which turbulance moves or will move?

And Vincent Van Gogh's starry night somehow visually represents very closely this equation?

[kristinacatherine]

It's like C.S. Lewis wrote, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains."

[cinema.zipfile]

Vinny, you poor little man. You've suffered so much. May your soul rest in peace.

[dvd]

Van Gogh is my favorite artist ... his paintings not only captured the time and space of the eternal moment, but the energy as well ... this is most apparent in The Starry Night ... and is what gives life and meaning to his beautiful works ... Thank you Vincent !!!

[shuanggao]

There is no strict line between art and science. The line lies in psychology.

[ak.zilani]

“Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high. Then life seems almost enchanted after all.”
― Vincent Van Gogh

[JS-vpwg]

When I was doing van gogh for my artist research I hated his style because it took so long to do but it really helped me to get top marks with only an a4 piece and now I'm coming to realise why his work is so great and I even somewhat still use his style because it's amazing

[thecuriousnerd]

when you first thought van gogh's "starry night" and "the scream" were just a painting. then you watch this. thinking maybe he went crazy because he is too smart.

[lambadajewo.]

I know that this is old, but I realized - for some reason, Van Gogh's art helps me clear my mind when my mental health is really poor. It's strange, considering his tragic story. But for a reason I do not comprehend, it soothes me.

[willferrous]

Now I understand what you tried to say to me. How you suffered for your sanity. How you tried to set them free. They would not listen, they did not know how. Perhaps they'll listen now.