In the search for beauty, art and mathematics reveal themselves to be two sides of the same coin.
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Contents
Artistic Projects
The Duality of a Monsoon
Digital Mixed Media on Infused Aluminum
45.7 x 61.0 cm (18.0" x 24.0")
Statement A monsoon is a paradox—both life-giver and life-taker, governed by invisible laws and felt in the bones. This piece translates that tension into form, using the language of mathematics to trace the storm’s underlying structure. Each spiral suggests the flow of wind and water, rendered from a precise generative model, yet softened into gesture through color and motion. The gold and blue arcs, swirling in complementary tension, oscillate between chaos and symmetry, echoing the balance of forces in nature itself. Below, a solitary figure gazes upward, grounding the abstraction in human experience. She is the witness: vulnerable, calculating, and contemplative. Duality of a Monsoon asks us to consider our place within systems vast and knowable, yet beyond our control. It is both a mathematical meditation and a human prayer—honoring the storm not just as spectacle, but as structure.
Exhibited July 11, 2025, at MoonShadows Art in Old Town, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
Edition Details 5 Infused Aluminum Prints (3 Available) 10 Fine Art Prints (7 Available) * Signed and numbered. Contact for purchase. *
Acknowledgements This piece incorporates a photograph by Shamin Haky, generously shared via Unsplash. I encourage you to explore more of their work on Unsplash and support fellow artists whose visions help make pieces like this possible.
Wieringa's Wall
EPS Foam, Formica, Acrylic Paint, Silicon
825.0 x 285.0 x 15.0 cm (27.0' x 9.4' x 0.5')
Photos By Kodinna Ume-Onyido
Statement This sculpture of 9,595 three-dimensional tiles creates an architectural element that aids in both the aesthetics and acoustics of Room 230 at the Fields Institute in Toronto, Canada. It is a parameterized model of a corrugated surface proposed by R.M.A. Wieringa and described by N.G. de Bruijn in 1981. The computational model was constructed using the "Cut and Project Method," which uses a 5D lattice to produce the vertices of a 2D Penrose tiling and then subsequently indexes each vertex via their relationship to levels of the derived cutting window, a rhombic icosahedron. The vertices then emerge into the third dimension in an orderly fashion. The wall acts as an acoustic scattering surface, lowering the room's reverberation time. The project was under Nicholas Hoban's prudent mentorship, who also generously provided the requisite digital fabrication machinery. The artist required 3277 Hours to complete Wieringa's Wall, and a crew of 19 hired architecture students installed the piece over a period of three days under the artist's direction. A sincere thank you goes out to the Fields Institute for allowing this piece to be permanently housed at their institution.
Exhibited June 23, 2023, at the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences at the University of Toronto. (Permanent Installation)
Literature Cocks, Ross J. “Wieringa’s Wall Lands at Fields.” Fields Notes 21, no. 3, October 16, 2023. Cocks, Ross, John Nguyen, and Brady Peters. "Wieringa Surface: The Implementation of Aperiodicity into Architectural Acoustics." In International Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design Futures, pp. 190-203. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, 2023. Bach, Dan, Robert Fauthauer, and Nathan Selikoff, eds. 2024 Joint Mathematics Meetings Exhibition of Mathematical Art. Phoenix , Arizona: Tessellations Publishing, 2024.
Installation Team Installation Lead: Ross J. Cocks Assistant Installation Leads: Mucteba Core, Kodinna Ume-Onyido, Yanchen Huo Installation Team: Ala Mohammadi, Melody Mengjia Zhang, Sara Bayona Manosca, Eliany Rodriguez, Mozelle Ofori-Atta, Sophia de Uria, Hyunsu Kim, Troilland Ford Cuyos, Nicole Quesnelle, Jialiang Chen, Xinyue Chen, Joshua Giovinazzo, Olivia Carson, Yixuan Zhang, Patricia Pham, Leila Rashidian Carpentry: G&F Customs
White On White, On White
Digital Mixed Media
46.25 x 75.0 cm (18.2" x 29.5")
Statement In 1918, Kazimir Malevich painted the renowned "White on White." For Malevich, this minimalistic geometry democratized the enjoyment of art and provided a means for spiritual transcendence. Likewise, "White On White, On White" attempts to perpetuate Malevich's aspirations while alternatively suggesting that geometry and form need not be simplified for spiritual upliftment. That is to say, no matter how complicated, pure mathematical forms can be enjoyed by all and induce spiritual transcendence. The depicted forms are intimately connected: the Riemann Sphere and a Hyperbolic Helicoid that has been put through a Mobius Transformation.
Exhibited Halifax, Canada, at the 2023 International Bridges Conference (July 27-31). Current Location: Private collection in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Literature Chadbourne, Conan, Robert Fathauer, Nathan Selikoff, and Bruce Torrence, eds. Bridges 2023 Art Exhibition Catalog. Phoenix , Arizona: Tessellations Publishing, 2023.
Saffman-Taylor in Color
Castor Oil, Glycerol, Water, Food Coloring
213.4 x 213.4 cm (7.0' x 7.0')
Photos By Stephanie Cocks
Statement In 2022, Ross J. Cocks worked in the research lab of Professor Ben Hatton in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) at the University of Toronto, allowing him to learn how to use an original Hele-Shaw Cell setup designed by Charlie Katrycz. The Hele-Shaw Cell is a commonly used experimental setup to examine a phenomenon known as Saffman-Taylor Instability. In fluid dynamics, a Saffman-Taylor Instability causes the formation of self-organized, tentacle-like patterns at the interface between two fluids of differing viscosities. "Saffman-Taylor in Color" is a collection of photographed moments of injections performed by Ross within the aforementioned Hele-Shaw Cell. Furthermore, the captured moments have then been arranged mathematically to exhibit a narrative of how temperature (green), viscosity (yellow), injection rate (blue), and time (red) all play a role in the morphology of the resulting patterns in a Saffman-Taylor Instability. While the piece is a visual ode to this incredible and valuable phenomenon, it also studies the interconnectedness of form, color, and light.
Exhibited October 28, 2022, at the Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Toronto. (Permanent Installation)
Literature Forthcoming!
Installation Video
Hyperbolic Helicoid & Child Series
Digital Mixed Media
Varied
Artworks 1. Hyperbolic Helicoid & Child (or Translation No. 01 [Pt. 1]) 37.0 x 60.0 cm (14.6" x 23.6") 2. Hyperbolic Helicoid & Child (or Translation No. 01 [Pt. 2]) 37.0 x 60.0 cm (14.6" x 23.6")
Statement By taking a Hyperbolic Helicoid and putting it through a Mobius Transformation, we can arrive at a beautiful form that seems to curtsy with grace. Carefully arraying this form can lead to an incredible structure that is not only sinuous and mesmerizing but also a testament to mathematics's intimate relationship with architecture. However, in a world consumed by ego, money, and fear, this structure is unlikely ever to leave its surreal canvas. Yet, a dismal situation is not fate! Childlike wonder and hope may yet liberate our architectural creation. Inspired by Robert Fathauer's JMM 2022 Art Exhibition piece, "Hyperbolic Helicoid."
Exhibited 1. Hyperbolic Helicoid & Child (or Translation No. 01 [Pt. 1]) - In Helsinki, Finland, at the 2022 International Bridges Conference (August 1-5). Current Location(s) 1. Hyperbolic Helicoid & Child (or Translation No. 01 [Pt. 1]) - On Tour in Finland with "Experience Workshop Global STEAM Network." 2. Hyperbolic Helicoid & Child (or Translation No. 01 [Pt. 2]) - Private collection in Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Literature Chadbourne, Conan, Robert Fathauer, Nathan Selikoff, and Bruce Torrence, eds. Bridges 2022 Art Exhibition Catalog. Phoenix , Arizona: Tessellations Publishing, 2022.
Sonata No. 02 - Op. 2021
Digital Mixed Media
32.0 x 61.0 cm (12.6" x 24.0")
Statement Adapting the 2D Toothpick Sequence to 3D can cause a fantastic framework to unfold. If we add a 3D Hilbert Curve to this framework, we arrive at a beautiful piece of geometry easily transformed into an architectural construction akin to a 3D Maze. We can then take this “maze” and put it through a Mobius Transformation, arriving at a new “maze,” one that defies our experience of physical reality (if there is such a thing). While fascinating and beautiful in its own right, it is not the end story of our composition! Adding an anthropomorphic element to the work gives our whole creation/transformation a sense of life and vitality, which can be lacking in mathematical art.
Exhibited April 6, at the 2022 Joint Mathematics Meeting. Online due to COVID-19. Current Location: Private collection in Albuquerque, NM, USA.
Literature Bach, Dan, Robert Fauthauer, and Nathan Selikoff, eds. 2022 Joint Mathematics Meetings Exhibition of Mathematical Art. Phoenix , Arizona: Tessellations Publishing, 2021.
Rhapsody No. 02 - Op. 2021
Digital Mixed Media
22.0 x 56.0 cm (8.7" x 22.0")
Statement Since its discovery, the gyroid has fascinated artists and mathematicians alike. The range of uses for it in art and architecture is endless! Rhapsody No. 02 - Op. 2021 is the second architectural installment created by Ross, which uses the gyroid as the primary form instructor. This pavilion seeks to harmonize with nature and create a focal point for gatherings.
Exhibited April 6, at the 2022 Joint Mathematics Meeting. Online due to COVID-19. Current Location: Private collection in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Literature Bach, Dan, Robert Fauthauer, and Nathan Selikoff, eds. 2022 Joint Mathematics Meetings Exhibition of Mathematical Art. Phoenix , Arizona: Tessellations Publishing, 2021.
Collaborative Projects
Acoustic Resonator Vases
Clay, Wood
Diameter of 198 cm (6.5') & Height of 28 cm (0.92')
Statement This work introduces robotic clay extrusion as a method of acoustic vase mass customization, where a key challenge is designing specific vase geometry and incorporating fabrication constraints that govern the overall acoustic treatments for the built environment. This display presents prototype variants that illustrate an inverted neck design for a compact Helmholtz resonator concept. This inverted neck approach is a challenging and complex geometric structure for both acoustic performance simulation and robotic clay fabrication, as the geometry had to be extruded upside down in contrast to a regular neck design. Additionally, the enclosure proportions were mathematically refined to ensure structural stability during the drying process by implementing a rotational stepping method inside and a spiral pattern outside.
Exhibited June 2 - September 10, 2023, at The Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Part of the larger exhibition: "Robotic Clay: New Methods in Architectural Ceramics."
Team Project Leads: John Nguyen, Nicholas Hoban, Brady Peters Fabrication & Assembly Leads: Rocks J. Cocks, Nermine Hassanin Fabrication & Assembly Team: Elham Khatei, Yuuko Kosame Li-Han, Pablo Espinal Henao, Robin Yu Bin He, Paul Kozak, Rahul Sehijpaul, Liam Cassano
UR Workshop 2022
Acrylic Paint, Wood
244 x 60 x 160 cm (8' x 2' x 5')
Statement Art, design, and building in the 21st century involve a continuous translation between digital information, physical material, and space. This workshop yielded a sculptural piece fabricated with a UR10 Robot equipped with a Robotic Gripper and Vention Linear Rail. CAD programs such as Rhino and Grasshopper were utilized to interface with the Robot. Constraints of both the material and Robot, such as size, quantity of pieces, payload, and maximum reach of the Robotic Arm, were all explored and considered seriously. Ultimately, the piece was only made possible through a collaborative Human/Robot exchange and workflow. The form of the full-scale wooden block wall was inspired by the mathematical objects known as Legendre Polynomials, which have applications in expanding an inverse distance potential.
Exhibited June 12, 2022, at the Daphne Cockwell H. Sciences Complex, now housed at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Team Project Lead: Guy Gardener (University of Calgary) University of Toronto: Ross J. Cocks, Adimchi Atisele, Philipp Cop, Sadi Wali Toronto Metropolitan University (Interior Design): Nicolas Burbano Diaz, Alice Huang, Sooyun Lee, Daniella Muraca, Michelle Ng, Nassila Oudahmane, Joelle Poitras, Emily Wang, Shuning Xie, Meimei Yang, Max Zandboer, Ala Zuckniak Toronto Metropolitan University (School of Architecture): Leshin Chew, Todd Collis, Jack Dalgleishmorel, George Duo, Daniel Fiala, Gabriel Garofalo, Yuliana Goldayeva, Andrea Mata, Sabeeh Mobashar, Noah Spivak, Ariel Weiss, Alion Zhapa Violeta Rodriguez Zurita Toronto Metropolitan University (Masters of Digital Media): Aya Elmeligy Design + Technology Lab: Jonathon Anderson (Director, Associate Professor), Adrian Kenny (Lead Creative Technologist), Arnel Espanol (Creative Technologist), Joseph Lammirato (Creative Technologist)
Mass Timber Sound Diffusers
Mass Timber
Two Panels at 122 x 366 x 15 cm (4' x 12'' x 0.5')
Photos By Yihan Xu
Statement This project examines the potential of CNC milling complex geometric patterns into mass timber walls and ceilings. These patterns not only enhance the space’s aesthetics and express the wood’s material qualities but also improve room acoustic performance through sound wave scattering properties that are tuned for specific frequencies programmed into the noise depths of the design based on Schroder diffusers.
Current Location Private collection in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Team Project Leads: John Nguyen, Philipp Cop, Nicholas Hoban, Brady Peters Student Team: Ross J. Cocks, Nermine Hassanin