Jessica Wynne's 'Do Not Erase' photographs reveal poetry in math chalkboards

Photographer and Fashion Institute of Technology professor Jessica Wynne has created a series titled 'Do Not Erase,' capturing chalkboards covered in algebraic formulas, equations, and geometric symbols from various American universities and schools. The project, soon to be a book published by Princeton University Press, aims to reveal the hidden poetry and ephemeral beauty of mathematics. Wynne was inspired by her mathematician neighbors in Massachusetts, who are theoretical mathematicians at the University of Chicago. She photographs the boards between classes or during student meetings, preserving the transient marks as a concrete document. Wynne draws parallels between the theoretical mathematician's mind and that of an artist, both seeking discovery and truth. The images evoke a vintage aesthetic, tapping into collective memory of pre-digital teaching methods.