Although Wilmott is the hallowed territory of specialists in quantitative finance and I am a visual artist, after a brief correspondence with Paul, I am starting a new topic about my upcoming art show. I think it may be of interest to you. It is called The Financial Crisis Show - Art as a Derivative and will take place at the Hay Hill Gallery, 35 Baker Street from Jan 6th-Feb 1st 2014. The exhibition comprises 14 large and colourful paintings - each on a theme such as HFT, Derivatives, The City of London, Wall Street, Regulation.... Take a look at my dedicated website for more information about the series.Already there has been interest in the show from academics, financial journalists - here in the U.K. and in the U.S.- and Members of Parliament.I will visit the site regularly just in case anyone has any questions or comments. If you would like to be put on the gallery mailing list and especially for the Show Opening on Tuesday 14th January, 6-9pm please let me know. It would be great to see you there.http://www.thefinancialcrisisshow.com/Larry McGinity

Larry,Do I see some Piet Mondriaan influences in your work?

How do you work? How do make new ideas sparkle?Do you 'work' eg do you read a lot economics/financial news or does that come 'naturally' (maybe because you have working experience related to finance)?

"Art as a Derivative"I think art should be integral.

Kind of learning to navigate the system, repeat answer here. Apologies

QuoteOriginally posted by: Ultraviolet"Art as a Derivative"I think art should be integral.So do I, as with great music, cinema and literature. But I call the show Art as a Derivative because the art world which I belong to has wanted to take the benefits of its association with high finance (via sponsorships of fairs, purchase inflation and market distortion consequent, ethos distortion rampant) without addressing any corollary effect that might have come about. Derivative too because I have made use of the commentary which in itself derives from the events in the markets -so I am making art from the underlying.Derivative, as I have deliberately echoed the great forms of Modernism, alluding to artists such as Mondrian, Van Doesburg, Malevich, and even Rothko, in the process making a new type of art. Art is derivative in this sense, it always has been and should be, same in science and math.But, I'm with you, art is integral.

QuoteOriginally posted by: edouardHow do you work? How do make new ideas sparkle?Do you 'work' eg do you read a lot economics/financial news or does that come 'naturally' (maybe because you have working experience related to finance)?The sparkle question is tough. You've got to believe that what you are about to do when you enter your studio of a morning really matters. Make the energy happen. I read a lot of literature and listen to music - you know modern classical and classical - in the evenings before work. If I'm going to watch something light and silly to relax on TV, I make sure its good light and silly. But technically I love using colour, the discipline of using my hands with my brain. With this project on financial markets for three years I have started the day with Bloomberg and spent an hour or so 'logging in to the language of finance", I have kept the research going even during the 'make the pictures phase' to keep me focused and driven.Hey, and when a picture is finished and hanging on my wall so that I can check it out as a "viewer' rather than the painter, and it passes and looks good in the room and it works - that feels good.No, I have no experience of finance. I have had to learn much, but compared with you guys I'm a novice. I have attended seminars/ conferences on HFT or Forex in the City -causing a laugh/raised eyebrow with my badge "Artist Specialising in Financial Markets". So so much of this has been total learning. But I'm getting the hang of it (I feel), on meeting a guy working for a small bank (Gibraltar based) I surprised him with the parting words "so about £2billion under management?" "£1.8" he replied looking somewhat bemused.. I also called the Cyprus bail-in debacle a week before it blew - I have witnesses!

QuoteOriginally posted by: CuchulainnLarry,Do I see some Piet Mondriaan influences in your work?Yes, absolutely. In the period immediately before taking on the research for this project I had been commissioned to do a little writing on art history for DK and Thames & Hudson. It was a privilege- I'm not a trained art historian - politics history with some law at Uni - but in the past, through contacts I had been given the opportunity to write for a project or two, and it went OK. So before I got stuck in to this theme I had just been immersed in writing a series of small essays for T&H's "Art - The Whole Story" anthology. Whilst doing that the idea of making forms which echo the modern masters and included verbatim text on finance came together. At first I had to try it out in different forms to see how it would work of course.So my paintings Wall Street, Ratings Agencies and The CIty of London are very much influenced by the De Stijl movement, of which Mondrian was their leader, and of course Broadway Boogie Woogie was his late New York work - what better master to guide me for 'Wall Street'. The City of London incidentally echoes the Gherkin with its curved cross-cutting diagonals and therefore echoes more Theo van Doesburg's diagonal approach.

Just confirmed my place at the FOW-organised Derivative Debates in London on December 10th. I'm looking forward to hearing Haim Bodek give the keynote speech. So if any Wilmotters are attending, hope to see you there.

On the Mondriaan theme, he has influenced many artists I get the impression, including Bulent Evren. I worked on a few computer art projects with him (Evren, not Mondriaan) (I pressed the buttons of the minicomputer with 3d solid modelling in Medusa CAD from Cambridge with a Tektronix high-res screen). We did it before anyone because I had access to heavy $$$ machinery. Amsterdam is a very arty place with lots of galleries along the canals. Anytime I don't understand a piece of art (which is quite often) I just ask Mrs. Cuchulainn, who comes from an arty family (her great-uncle was Bram Hammmacher 1897-2002 ). Larry, I reckon you are familiar with the work of Charley Toorop as well?

QuoteOriginally posted by: ArtasaDerivativeQuoteOriginally posted by: Ultraviolet"Art as a Derivative"I think art should be integral.So do I, as with great music, cinema and literature. But I call the show Art as a Derivative because the art world which I belong to has wanted to take the benefits of its association with high finance (via sponsorships of fairs, purchase inflation and market distortion consequent, ethos distortion rampant) without addressing any corollary effect that might have come about. Derivative too because I have made use of the commentary which in itself derives from the events in the markets -so I am making art from the underlying.Derivative, as I have deliberately echoed the great forms of Modernism, alluding to artists such as Mondrian, Van Doesburg, Malevich, and even Rothko, in the process making a new type of art. Art is derivative in this sense, it always has been and should be, same in science and math.But, I'm with you, art is integral.I think she meant to make the joke art is "an" integral.

And probably a Riemann integral at that if you study Mondriaan closely. Or could it be a Lebesgue integral?

Well, I missed that and would quite like to have seem me trying to juggle with her intended remark! But it served me too, as my misappropriation of her comment got me to say a little more about the ideas behind the show. (looks up the true meaning of 'an' integral)

About Charley Toorop, Cuchulainn, I must say I didn't know her work and was very interested to see your link where her work is placed against a detail from my painting.

QuoteOriginally posted by: ArtasaDerivativeAbout Charley Toorop, Cuchulainn, I must say didn't know her work and was very interested to see your link where her work is placed against a detail from my painting.Actually, my bad. The painting was by Bulent Evren. CT was in the Bergen school http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergense_School