Pi Art by an Autistic Savant

My friend just forwarded me a piece of artwork that was produced by an autistic savant.

[Danial Tammet can] calculate huge sums in his head in seconds and instantaneously recognise prime numbers, but he finds emotions difficult to understand and has trouble telling left from right. One of fewer than fifty such people living worldwide, Daniel is unique in his ability to articulate his savant experience.

He describes his visual experience of numbers as complex synaesthetic shapes with colour, texture and motion. Thirty-seven is lumpy like porridge, while eighty-nine reminds him of falling snow. Sequences of digits form visual landscapes in his mind.

In March 2004, Daniel set a European record when he recited the famous mathematical constant Pi from memory to 22,514 decimal places in a time of 5 hours.

Here’s his Original Artwork of a Pi Landscape. It’s only £250 (About $495.95 US).


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2 responses to “Pi Art by an Autistic Savant”

  1. Dirk Avatar

    Here is the link to the NPR Interview.

  2. krystal Avatar
    krystal

    If you can find the interview with him that was on public radio its worth a listen. The way he describes numbers makes you want to cry.

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