Medieval Gadgets, Hybrid Volvelles, 2015

Volvelles are the first paper analog computers from the medieval period, which were made by hand and installed inside the scientific manuscripts to offer different astronomical calculations and to make the manuscripts interactive. The original volvelles used circle shapes fastened to a leaf in the center, which held various layers in place so that the discs could spin independently.

I create Hybrid Volvelles in various sizes, composed of geometric shapes rendered with silkscreen, ink, and watercolor on paper disks. These disks are assembled onto wood panels and connected with fasteners and hangers at the back, presenting them as sculptural objects.

In some works, I draw direct inspiration from original volvelles; in others, I combine and reinterpret early modern scientific imagery and knowledge from Persian, Arab, and European sources. My aim is to construct a layered historical perspective that brings together multiple cultural viewpoints in a single form. For example, in one volvelle, I juxtaposed a manuscript page of Galileo’s lunar observations with an 11th-century moon diagram by the Persian astronomer Biruni.

Sizes range from 6×6 and 8×8 inches to 12×12, 18×18, and 24×24 inches.

Research and Process

British Library, London, UK, 2015-2018

Marsh’s Library, Dublin, Ireland, 2019