Undefined Numbers is a series of brush-plotted acrylics on canvas, proposing a new set of numerals. In the future, it may become necessary to introduce revisions to our standard numeral system, which, due to its origin, is known as Hindu-Arabic numerals. This collection explores the possibility that, over time, new numeric symbols may emerge to address limitations in our current representation of numbers. It imagines what these symbols might look like through a randomised algorithmic approach.
Hindu-Arabic numerals originated in ancient India, where, in the 6th century, mathematicians developed the first known place-value system, using nine numerals (1–9) and a symbol for zero—a groundbreaking concept that enabled a flexible and scalable numeric structure. This system spread to the Islamic world by the 8th century, where the scholar Al-Khwarizmi employed the numerals in arithmetic and algebra. By the 12th century, it had been introduced to Europe, where it gradually replaced competing systems like Roman, Greek, and Babylonian numerals due to its efficiency, simplicity, and adaptability in calculations, commerce, and, later, science.
Any new symbol in a numeric system must align with existing conventions, such as being a single character and exhibiting angularity and symmetry. The current numerals rely on minimalism, making them recognisable and easy to interpret. The algorithm generating proposed new symbols in Undefined Numbers respects these conventions, preserving a cohesive aesthetic while introducing subtle innovations.
Undefined Numbers is also a reaction to scientific developments like quantum mechanics and computing, artificial intelligence, cryptography, and highly dimensional data. These areas present challenges to numerical completeness and measurability, suggesting that there are quantities inherently resistant to standard calculation, and perhaps present avenues that could require new numerals.
