Curved Kite Rooster

Concept

Curved Kites

The Curved Kites collection shows arrangements of a series of so-called curved kites, whose dimensions correspond to Fibonacci numbers. A curved kite is an interesting geometric figure that resembles a stingray or a curved kite.

The edge of a curved kite consists of three quarter circles. The two small quarter circles of the same size meet in the pointed tail of the kite. The large quarter circle connects the other ends of the small quarter circles and meets them at a 45° angle.

If the small quarter circles have a radius r, then the large quarter circle has a radius R = √2·r.

A curved kite has the amazing property that its area is exactly r², where r is the radius of the small quarter circles. Consequently, this curved kite has the area of the square in which one of its quarter circles is embedded (see figure below). The curved kite thus shows a kind of “squaring of the circles”.

The Curved Kite Rooster is created by aligning the individual kites according to their Fibonacci size so that the small quarter circles touch each other at the tips. When they touch, the sharp tip of the smaller kite hits the blunt tip of the larger kite. Each kite is rotated clockwise by 90º degrees.

This creates the well-known Fibonacci spiral along the inner edge of the small quarter circles. The Fibonacci spiral is very similar to the golden spiral.

The outer space of this spiral, which is created by the second blunt tip of the Curved Kites, is given its own objectivity by the Fibonacci proportions, which resembles a rooster’s comb (for some also a shark’s fin). The rooster gives the painting its name. The light blue background is a contrasting color to the rooster’s comb.

More images from the Curved Kite series: