Michael McKinnon

This artwork is part of Ways of Seeing, a partnership between Waltham Forest London Borough of Culture 2019 and the Government Art Collection. Ways of Seeing turns the borough into a gallery with 33 internationally renowned artists displayed in 28 unexpected locations.

You'll need to look carefully at this print by the artist Michael McKinnon at Coppermill Primary School to see what it is. There's a clue is in the title. Phyllotaxis is an Ancient Greek word. It means “arrangement of leaves”.
 
McKinnon made the print to celebrate a famous mathematical pattern called the Fibonacci Sequence. This pattern was discovered by an Italian mathematician in the 12th century.
 
In the 18th century, plant scientists (botanists) noticed this pattern in nature. It is in some spiral leaf patterns. When you visit the print, make sure to take a really close look; you may be able to see the spiky stalk of a pineapple!
 
Michael McKinnon was born in Australia. After studying art, he taught in secondary schools. In 1965, he moved to London to study painting at the Royal College of Art. He set up the ‘Continuum Group’ with two other artists, Robert Janz and Dante Leonelli. Since 1978, McKinnon has focused on making documentary films about nature.

The artwork on display in this venue is available to view on specific dates only. Please sign up to our newsletter or follow our social media channels to be the first to find out when you can view it. 

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Download an educational resource for this artwork

Open by appointment only, please call 020 8520 6267