8 Tantalizing Examples of Rotational Symmetry in Art

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Since the beginning of history it seems people have used rotational symmetry in art. Rotational symmetry can invoke a strong respond of awe in the viewer. Also, rotational symmetry tends to have a calming effect on the mind. This is because one tends to rest their gaze in the center, which is very relaxed.

In ancient Greece we see complex mosaics exhibiting rotational symmetry.

To first learn about rotational symmetry and how to spot it, you can read this primer on rotational symmetry.

Modern Rotational Symmetry in Art

For the first 4 examples, we look at some modern artists using rotational symmetry in art.

1. Robmackdotart – Intricate Dotted Mandalas

“I’m always trying to express the divine thru my paintings.” – Rob Mack

Rob mack’s at style frequently uses rotational symmetry as a focal point. He usually uses a circular disc and fills in beautiful repeating patterns. He uses a very high order, or number of repeating subunits centered around the core.

Each different peice has its own rotational symmetry.

2. Pardesco – Higher Dimensional Projections

Pardesco uses a variety of techniques to generate projections of high dimensional geometry, such as etching and computer-controlled sketches.

The mandala has pentagonal symmetry, invoking the golden ratio.
To use Pardesco’s art to visualize higher dimensions, you can imagine all the layers of lines separating out to make a 3D shape. Really, the 3D shape you see is then a shadow of a higher dimensional form.

3. WrappedEnergy – Hypnotic Wire and Jewels

Wrapped Energy is a wire wrap artist who uses rotational symmetry occasionally to create visually striking pieces of jewelry.

In this piece you can see the rotational symmetry order 3 very readily.
In these pieces she works with the rotational symmetry in the glass and gives a twofold pattern on the edge.

4. AndreiVerner – Wild Trippy Party Tents

Andrei Verner makes tents and textiles, commonly used for events. The nature of the tents lends itself well to rotational symmetry. The lobes of the tent that separate are repeated to give the rotational symmetry, with some variations.

You can see from the center of tent that there is a hub or rotational symmetry. In this tent, the order of rotational symmetry is 12.
Andrei Verner also uses rotational symmetry order 6 frequently.

5. Daisy Maize – Psychedelic Girly Bliss

Daisy Maize uses a mixture of digital tools to create colorful and meaningful gifs and images, with themes of dreamy ethereal-ness.

Here we see a rotational symmetry of order 8. She says if you stare, you will forget your worries. This is the characteristic of mandalas!

DaisyMaize publishes on GIPHY, an online art database of GIFs.

This one is super neat because the human-esque forms forming the petals can be “read” both inside and out!

6. SmileIfYouDontExist – Mysterious Spinny Origami

This multimedia artist makes origami with very complex symmetries. The photos below show a very basic template of some of the forms used.

This has multiple layers of rotational symmetry. First you have the threefold symmetry from the middle triangle, then you have 24-fold rotational symmetry from each “starburst.”

He combines rotational symmetry with fractal properties. For example, in the above flattened template, you can pick the “center” of the “mandala,” to be at the center of any triangle, or the center of any starburst. The forms can tesselate out radially.

Here we have five-fold rotational symmetry on the petals.

Five-fold is one of the best kinds of rotational symmetry for embedding golden ratio properties (ten works as well.)

7. LizzieStardust – Intricate Mandalas for Gazing

LizzieStardust is an artist from Belgium with a very unique and striking style.

This mandala has 14 lobes. This is especially exciting because it embeds “seven-ness” in the mandala.

Lizzie Stardust has some of the more complex mandalas. She plays with many different shapes and motifs, and goes for some of the rotational symmetry orders that are harder to come by, such as 11’s, 14’s, and 27’s.

This mandala has rotational symmetry order 27. This is especially great because 27 is 3*3*3 (3 cubed), and is also the number of segments that Vedic astrology uses to divide it’s celestial wheel into Nakshatras.

Rotational Symmetry in Historical Art

Now we can look at some examples of rotational symmetry in Historical Art.

The Greek mosaics are super intricate and had multiple layers of rotational symmetry.

8. Greek Mosaics

In the 8th century the Greeks took the much older art of mosaics and made it much more intricate. They created complex visual forms by using smaller pieces and symmetrical elements. Since the mosaics were done on the floor commonly, they did not get destroyed when the buildings came down. The floor mosaic tilings were certainly more durable works of art than paintings.

This is from a tesselated floor Roman villa (2nd century BCE), shown is Dionysus with fruit in his hair. Photo is at Corinth Archaeological Museum.

Rotational symmetry was a common theme among many Roman and Greek tilings. Especially, the four lobes shown above represent the four seasons. Also, we have an overlapping lotus effects, perhaps to induce serenity or higher knowledge, similar to the Sri Yantra.

Here you can see more examples of Greek mosaic tilings, many of which exhibit rotational symmetry.

9. Tiles at the Alhambra

The Alhambra is a Moorish site built in the 9th century AD. In present day Granada Spain, the Alhambra is full of unique tilings with rotational symmetry. In fact, the artist M.C. Escher was heavily inspired by the tessellations.

here you can see the heavy influence of the number four, but there is almost a fractal-like quality to how the mandala tilings split into even more orders of symmetry as you venture out radially.
Not only was the use of rotational symmetry in the Alhambra tilings significant, but also the space-filling tessalations that filled in the gaps.

10. Piazza del Campidoglio

The Piazza del Campidoglio is a public square in Rome. The grass was designed an a pattern with rotational symmetry in the 16th century by Michelangelo. The pattern of the pavement resembles the lotus of life, and is certainly enough to impress the emperor of Habsburg.

Engraved by Etienne Duperac, this record helped Michelangelo’s design get recreated from the pavement in 1940.

Here you can read about more examples of symmetry in Renaissance architecture.

11. Mandala of Jnanadakini

This mandala from India is very religious in nature. In the center, the 6-armed goddess devi lays. Four protective goddesses sit at each gateway. The layers of surrounding mandalas have petals and flames, while depicting the great burial grounds. In the corners we see depictions of spiritual lineages. The mandala was a set of many termed as “Vajravali or Vajramala.”

The rotational symmetry is very intricate in the Jnanadakini

Rotational Symmetry in Art Lives on

Now you can have an appreciation for the beauty of rotational symmetry. In art both old and new, artists purposely and unintentionally use rotational symmetry to create different effects.

To see some even older and more general examples of rotational symmetry, you may like Examples of Rotational Symmetry in Cultural Symbols.

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