Poly-Fill-Hedra

The last several years have been odd and isolating. I know thatĀ it has been very stressful for me and for most people that I have been in any level of contact with (which, since the start of the pandemic has been markedly less for all of my friends…I’m sorry that I have been missing from your lives – I still like you and want to be your friend!). Since humor can be an effective way to reduce stress, I hope that this particular project makes you smile.

A recent project of mine that I will be presenting at the 2022 Bridges Math Art conferenceĀ is all about mathematical puns.

Puns are a good way to introduce complicated concepts in a non-intimidating manner. I have previously used them in various math art projects including the hyperbolic airplane skirt and the parrotohedron.

DSC_9476
The Hyperbolic Airplane Skirt
photo 2
The Parrotahedron

Today, I am sharing some visual math puns created using stuffed (polyester-filled) animals. The resulting sculptural poly-fill-hedra are simultaneously attractive art pieces and entertaining math puns. I write quite a lot more about these creations in my Bridges short paper, which I will link to here when it is officially published later this year.

The dodocahedron. 12 stuffed dodos arranged into a rhombic dodecahedral shape.
The dodocahedron. 12 stuffed dodos arranged into a rhombic dodecahedral shape.
IMG_1545
The Otterhedron, a -hedron made out of eight (octo) otters.
The Tetrahedron, made out of four (tetra) neon tetras.
The Tetrahedron, made out of four (tetra) neon tetras.