Author Description

The colorful geometric sculptures of Morton C. Bradley, Jr. (1912-2004), designed to be suspended from the ceiling, seem to float in the air like models of unknown, beautiful stars. As each sculpture slowly revolves, its intricate structure is transformed by a progression of colors that illuminate new aspects of its character. Bradley's creations embody the mathematical structure of nature and the beauty of pure mathematics. In this lavishly illustrated first publication of Bradley's remarkable body of work, bequeathed to Indiana University with which he had close ties, Lynn Gamwell explores the Harvard University milieu that gave rise to his artistic vision in the 1930s, his work as a painting conservator at the Fogg Museum, his study of music and mathematical patterning, and his founding of a workshop that fabricated these intricate handmade pieces, timelessly integrating pure color and form.