Tondo Plaster Carvings

Tondo Plaster Carvings — Studies in Fractal Geometry and Natural Form

This series of three circular plaster carvings explores self-similar structures and repeating motion across multiple scales, guided by principles of fractal geometry and harmonic proportion. Through expanding and diminishing rhythms informed by the golden ratio, the works reflect on the interconnected relationship between mathematical order and organic growth.

The ochre-tinted carving, Apollonian Gasket, is structured around a classical fractal system in which circles repeat and subdivide in infinite progression. This geometric framework echoes natural branching systems found in lungs, trees, river deltas, and lightning bifurcations, revealing a shared logic of organisation across biological and geological processes.

The green-tinted carving, Canopy, presents a five-fold fractal opening composed of carved leaf forms. Here, geometry softens into botanical structure, suggesting the layered architecture of foliage and the spatial rhythm of growth within natural environments.
The third carving, realised with red pigment, explores fractal spirals, tracing the continuous motion of expansion and return found in phenomena ranging from plant phyllotaxis to cosmic form.

Through a sustained, meditative process of carving, each surface records the measured actions of the hand, making visible the dialogue between mathematical precision and human presence.

The series was carved for exhibition in Dubai and realised in hand-worked, pigment-tinted plaster.