The eightfold way: A mathematical sculpture by Helaman Ferguson (Q2702547)

On November 14, 1993, a marble and serpentine sculpture was unveiled at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI) in Berkeley. Commissioned from the famous mathematical sculptor Helaman Ferguson, and entitled \textit{The eightfold way}, this sculpture is a distillation of the fascinating beauty and remarkable properties of the Klein quartic curve. This particular Riemann surface of genus three admits 336 real symmetries, among other remarkable properties, and plays an important role in many areas of mathematics. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEThis introduction to \textit{The eightfold way} and to the underlying geometry of Klein's quartic was written for the sculpture's inauguration by William Thurston, who was the Director of the MSRI from 1992 to 1997. On that occasion, it was distributed to a public that included not only mathematicians but many friends of MSRI and other people with an interest in mathematics.NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEThe aim of this introductory text was to explain the sculpture, its mathematical background, and its geometric significance in generally intelligible terms to the wide public. Of course, the author has only touched upon the most elementary part of the mathematical facts associated with the sculpture, but he has nevertheless given an impressive glimpse of the unity, the beauty, the esthetics, and the down-to-earth spirit of mathematics. This inauguration handout is an orerpowering invitation to the general subject ``Mathematics, Life, and Art''.NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEFor the entire collection see Zbl 0941.00006 and Zbl 0991.00005 for a review of the paperback edition.