Ian G. Macdonald: Works of Art

Abstract

Ian Macdonald's works changed our perspective on so many parts of algebraic combinatorics and formal power series. This talk will display some selected works of the art of Ian Macdonald, representative of different periods of his oeuvre, and analyze how they resonate, both for the past development of our subject and for its future. This paper was prepared for the occasion of a lecture in tribute to Ian G. Macdonald, delivered at FPSAC 2024 in Bochum, Germany on 22 July 2024. I want to express thanks to the Executive Committee of FPSAC, the Organizing Committee of FPSAC 2024, and to the whole of our FPSAC 2024 community for making this lecture a possibility and for considering me for its delivery. Macdonald is my hero, and to be asked to play such a role in his legacy touches me deeply.