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[[File:John Dunn Making Waves 1987.jpg|thumb|307x307px|Image taken by Marisa González in Making Waves in Chicago 1986

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John F. Dunn
John F. Dunn (Philadelphia, PA. June 7, 1943) known as John Dunn, is an American artist, musician and resercher pioneer in electronic music, has invented several softwares to be use for visual artist and designers. As a sound artist and software developer John Dunn, has been a pioneer in computer music and art since the 70's when he combined microcomputers and analog sound and video synthesizers. He is one of the most relevant alumni of Sonia Sheridan at the Generative Systems in the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Biography
John Dunn was a sun of a navy officer, his family moved around mostly overseas. Based in Wisconsin with his farmily, in the sixties he studied at the University of Florida and in 1968-1969 at Cleveland Institute of Electronics, Cleveland, Ohio. in 1974-1975 studied Music composition with John Tamul, composer, en Jacksonville, Florida. In 1976-1977 studied Calculus and Imaging Physics, in Chicago, Illinois.

He got in 1977 a Master of Fine Arts in Generative Systems with Sonia Sheridan at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Career
Dunn was one of the early programmers for Atari video games, and he developed the first ever professional paint program for a microcomputer, Cromemco's "Slidemaster," released in 1981. He went on to write a ground breaking professional paint program for the IBM-PC, called "Lumena," and founded Time Arts Inc. of Santa Rosa, California, to market "Computer Tools for Artists." Since 1996 Dunn has continued to produce interactive algorithmic art software under the Internet company name, "Algorithmic Arts."

Teaching
He was graduate teaching assistant/Video and Generative Systems, School of the Art institute of Chicago in 1976-1977. Designed and taught two courses (graduate and undergraduate) on computers for artists. Came back twice as visiting artist to help with computer aspect of program.

He trained from 1982-1986 a programming staff for Time Arts by hiring newly  graduated junior college students. Taught them FORTH, computer graphic algorithms and real-world computer graphics.

In 1992 was an artist-in-residence, under the title "Creación y Tecnologia", in the Circulo de Bellas Artes, Madrid, Spain, a week-long, collaborative, participatory, new technologies workshop for emerging artists, along with Sonia Sheridan, Jamy Sheridan and Marisa González.

In 1995-1996 taught courses in Algorithmic Art and Computer Music Programming at the University of Michigan School of Art. Taught basics of music synthesis with a classic analog synthesizer, basics of algorithmic visuals with my VanGo character graphics software, and the basics of MIDI and algorithmic music programming with my KMM music programming language. Student projects included producing a class audio CD of the algorithmic music they composed.

Software
1996 Released Kinetic Art Machine, an integrated real time music, paint and information visualization system originally code named "Wonk." Architecture and programming exclusively my own; conceptual design in collaboration with artist Jamy Sheridan.

1995 In collaboration with artist Jamy Sheridan, developed preliminary protocol for a real time performance language. This is intended to link different software packages running on different hardware platforms in real time, for multi media performances.

Released new versions of Melodia and KMM, with enhancements for real time performances and for MIDI control of stage lighting.

1994 Founded Software Tools for Artists, now Algorithmic Arts, a "virtual" company existing solely on the internet World Wide Web, and specializing in computer music and graphics for experimental and fine arts. Internet web address: http://algoart.com.

Released Melodia series of algorithmic music programs, Paladin series of editor/librarian programs for Emu synthesizers, new versions of KMM and KSS. Finished alpha test version of long term project for an integrated music, paint and information visualization system, code named "Wonk," now being designed in collaboration with artist Jamy Sheridan.

1993 Designed mass market software for computer sound cards, based primarily on my previous professional level software.

1991-1992 preliminary design of an integrated music, paint and information visualization system, code named "Wonk," and based on concepts developed in VanGo and MusicBox.

1991 Consulted with Soft Warehouse, Honolulu HI, to develop  versions of their muLISP for Microsoft C compatibility and for execution in 386 protected mode. These are fast, tight LISPs written in 8086 and 80386 assembly language. Part of the consulting agreement gives me a perpetual royalty free license to incorporate the LISP systems into my own future projects.

Major revision of my public domain algorithmic music composition program, "MusicBox"; renamed "Kinetic Music Machine" ("KMM") for commercial release. Written in 8086 assembly language; modules and help system developed with VanGo. Wrote "Kaleidoscope Screen Saver" ("KSS"), based on an earlier kinetic computer art series "SymLines". Written in C and 8086 assembly language.

Wrote a LISP program to decode raw DNA data files and to map them into a musical format readable by the KMM algorithmic music composition program; wrote an extensive KMM program to play the data; composed music on this system for a live concert performed at the University of Hawaii. This was a collaborative effort with Dr. K.W. Bridges, botany professor at UH, with whom I closely consulted as I was writing the LISP and KMM programs. The performance, "Inflections: Musical Interpretations of DNA Data", included music composed by myself and by Dr. Bridges, and visuals performed by artist Sonia Sheridan on my VanGo software.

1990-1991 Wrote "VanGo" graphics character based information paint software. This is a unique and somewhat experimental software system that uses artificial intelligence techniques to allow the computer-naive user to make complex animation and color overlays in real time using standard pc's.

1986-1989 Wrote several prototype programs involving artificial intelligence tools and object oriented design to make better artist/computer interfaces. The programs were written in several dialects of LISP. They were developed as potential designs for the interface to the third generation Lumena, then under development by Time Arts staff programmers.

1987 Worked with a Time Arts staff programmer and with the  original DVI (Digital Video Interactive) developers to make Time Arts' Lumena one of the first applications on DVI. The DVI/Lumena interface was written in C with some assembly language.

1986 Wrote "MusicBox" algorithmic composing program for MIDI synthesizers. Written in 8086 assembly language.

1984-1985 Designed the 2nd generation computer graphics package code named "EVA" (Environment for Vusual Arts"), which was released as Lumena 16/32.  This software was written in C by staff programmers that I personally hired and trained.

1983 Ported "EASEL" computer graphics program from the Z80 version to the IBM-PC, later renamed to "Lumena". Written in 8086 assembly language and FORTH. I wrote the FORTH language myself in 8086 assembly language, based on the public domain FIG-FORTH model and the Z80 EASEL/FORTH. I was assisted by Time Art's first staff programmer, artist/educator Robert Gotsch.

1982 Customized version of EASEL made for Sonia Sheridan, then Professor at the Art Institute of Chicago, on an National Endowment for the Arts public media art grant to investigate new computer systems. Another customized version was delivered and installed with extensive training to TV Globo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

1981 Wrote "EASEL" for Z80 microcomputer. Written in Z80 assembly language and FORTH. I wrote the FORTH language myself in Z80 assembly language, based on the public domain FIG-FORTH model.

1980 Wrote "Slidemaster"  graphics program for Cromemco, Inc. World's first professional computer graphics package on a microcomputer. Written in Z80 assembly language.

1979 Implemented Terry Winograd's landmark cognitive research program, "Blocksworld," in 8080 MuLISP and BDAZ graphics.

1978-1979 Wrote "Superman" and "Snark" for Atari VCS consumer video game system in 6502 assembly language; wrote "Atari Astrology" for the Atari home computer in 6502 assembly language and Atari Basic.

1979 Wrote "BDAZ" computer animation program and installed it in Generative Systems at the Art Institute of Chicago. Written in 8080 assembly language.

Compositions, Performances and Exhibits:
1995	"Soundscape" (12/95) audio CD hour-length composition of synthesizer sounds based on DNA data, and natural environmental sounds, for the Herman Miller / University of Michigan Research Collaborative, "Designed for Learning."

"Algorithmic Art" at the University of Michigan Art Museum (9/95). Real time computer installation, performance, and lecture  in collaboration with artist Jamy Sheridan by invitation of the New Art League.

"Requiem"  (11/95) RFA Exhibit at the Slusser Gallery, University of Michigan School of Art. This was a coordinated exhibit of the three 1995-1996 Research Fellows in the Arts: Joan Giroux,  Heidi Kumao, and myself.

"Electronic Garden" (10/95) at the Washtenaw Community Collage for the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, collaborative installation/performance with artists Jamy Sheridan, Jerry Swan and Susan Dallas-Swan.

1994"Tree of Life" (12/94) real time algorithmic performance in collaboration with artist Jamy Sheridan at Slusser Gallery, University of Michigan School of art. Visuals by Sheridan,  sound by Dunn, performance software by Dunn.

Collaborative real time algorithmic visuals (Sheridan) and sound (Dunn) for ISAGA Game conference (7/94) at Slusser Gallery, University of Michigan School of Art.

1992 Timescape, Circulo de Bellas Artes, Madrid, Spain, a week-long series of five public, collaborative, multi-media, computer performances. Three programs were used by the artists and participants: KMM for music, VanGo for interactive animation, and Lumena for paint graphics.

1991-1992 "Inflections: Musical Interpretations of DNA Data". For this he wrote a LISP program to decode raw DNA data files and to map them into a musical format readable by the KMM algorithmic music composition program; wrote an extensive KMM program to play the data; composed music on the system for a live concert performed at the University of Hawaii. This was a collaborative effort with Dr. K.W. Bridges, botany professor at UH. The performance at the University of Hawaii included music composed by Dunn and Dr. Bridges. Sonia Sheridan, Professor Emeritus of the Art Institute of Chicago and founder of Generative Systems created and performed hers and Jamy Sheridan's VanGo visuals.

1990 "Infinite Illusions: The World of Electronically Created  Imagery", Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Public debut of VanGo.

1986 "Theta Music" MusicBox composition.

1986 "Etudes for TX" MusicBox composition for the exhibition  "WAVES: An Interactive Art/Science Exhibition", The Evanston Art Center, 1986; catalogue.

1979 "Adagio in 'C'" computer generated composition for Sampson  Music Device. Realized at Stanford University Artificial Intelligence Lab.

1977 "Whale Songs: Sonata for Computer and Synthesizer" : Youth  Song, Man Song, Death Song, Spirit Song, Love Song. Graduation thesis performance for MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

1977 "Generative Systems" real-time computer controlled analog  synthesizer music and digital graphic imagery for the fellowship finals at the Art Institute of Chicago.

1975 "Azimuth Circle: Electronic Music with Dance." Member of  a performance group of two other musicians and five dancers from the Nancy Hauser company in Minneapolis. Performances given throughout the year at the Firehouse; last performance given and at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis.

1973 "UFO Sequence", ARP 2500 synthesizer realizations for the Miami planetarium.

1972 "Nexus", first composition for synthesizer (ARP 2600).

1966-1971 Various music concrete experiments, some still preserved on tape. First public exposure was in 1966 over USAFRT Radio Iceland.

Visual Art Work:

1977-1992	"Symlines," an evolving series of kinetic computer art pieces based on symmetrical line patterns and "smart" algorithms for color choice. These started as a graduate student project at the Art Institute of Chicago, and over the years became his standard program to test the computer graphic boards for resolution, speed, and color capability prior to committing to write a full graphics package. It has been exhibited in several versions, in 1989 at the Lumenists Computer Art Show in Honolulu, and in 1992 at the Circulo de Bellas Artes, Madrid, Spain. Currently being released as "Kinetic Screen Saver" (KSS).

In 1982-1991 he made the first visual images for each of the computer graphics systems I created: BDAZ, Slidemaster, EASEL/Lumena, VanGo. These were generally exhibited in the company booth at trade shows such as SigGraph and NCGA.

Publications:
1979 "Superman" video game program for Aatari VCS (Video Computer System). Published by Atari, Inc.

1980 "SlideMaster" computer paint program for Cromemco Z80 microcomputer and Cromemco graphics board. Published by Cromemco, Inc.

1981 "EASEL" computer paint program for Z80 microcomputer and DGL CAT graphics hardware. Published by Digital Graphics Labs, Inc.

1982 "EASEL/8" computer paint program for Via Video graphics station. Written with assistance from Time Arts programmer Robert Gotsch. Published by Via Video, Inc.

1983 "Lumena/8" for IBM-PC and Number Nine graphics board. Written with assistance from Time Arts staff programmers. Published by Time Arts Inc.

1984 "Lumena/16" for IBM-PC and AT&T Truevision graphics board. Designed & supervised by Dunn, programmed by Time Arts staff programmers. Published by Time Arts Inc.

1986 "MusicBox" algorithmic music program for IBM-PC and MIDI. Released into public domain via CompuServe.

1992 "VanGo" information paint software for IBM-PC. Published by my company, Software Tools for Artists.

"Kinetic Screen Saver" graphics display for IBM-PC and VGA graphics card. Published by STA.

"Kinetic Music Machine" algorithmic music program for IBM-PC and MIDI. Published by STA.

1994 "Melodia" series of algorithmic music programs for IBM-PC and MIDI and/or sound cards. Published by STA

"Paladin" sound editor and librarian for E-mu synthesizers. Published by STA.

He wrote along with biologist Mary Ann Clark the article Life Music: The Sonification of Proteins publish in 2003 at the international Art and Technology Magazine Leonardo

Links
http://algoart.com/company.htm