Generative Systems: Art, Science and Technology

Sheridan was teaching art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago the 1960s, still using pen, pencil and brush. In the late 1960s silk screen printing was added, along with a new Cameron enlarging technology{{clarify|date=May 2018}}, followed by a 3M Thermo-Fax copier.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fondation-langlois.org/html/f/page.php?NumPage=2010|title=Fonds Sonia Sheridan : Procédé : Thermo-Fax|website= fondation-langlois.org|language=fr|access-date=2017-04-06}} Don Conlin, manager of the 3M Color Research Lab, introduced Sheridan to Dr. Douglas Dybvig, chemist and primary inventor of Color-in-Color, the world's first color copier. Sheridan was invited by 3M to spend the summer of 1970 in the 3M Color Research Lab to work along with Dr. Dybvig and the developers of Color-in-Color machine.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fondation-langlois.org/html/f/page.php?NumPage=2007|title=Fonds Sonia Sheridan : Procédé : Color-in-Color I, II (3M)|website=fondation-langlois.org|access-date=2017-04-06}} After a demonstration in the school, Conlin and Dybvig arranged for a Color-in-Color copier to be installed in Sheridan's Generative Systems class. In the interim, Sheridan and her students acquired a couple of transmission (fax) machines, a Haloid Xerox, and other assorted older business machines, plus experimental cameras.

In the 1970s, electronic technology replaced hand tools and real time imaging emerged in a symbiosis between Art, Science and Technology. The use of industrial photocopiers and computers as creative tools, was a contribution to interdisciplinary approach to the fine arts, exploring the creative possibilities of image-generating equipment. The use of communications instruments generated innovative research.{{Cite journal|last=Jürgens|first=Martin|title=Digital Printouts and Hardcopies – What is (and isn't) a Photographic Print Today?|url=http://www.girona.cat/sgdap/docs/7qisdvtjurgens_english.pdf|website=www.girona.cat}}

File:Sonia Sheridan con Marisa Gonzalez en la inauguración de Procesos en el Centro de Arte Reina Sofia en Madrid 1986.tif

Sheridan initiated Generative Systems program introducing students to various reprography techniques like the first graphic arts experiments, xerography (electronic imaging), the Thermo-Fax copier, the Telecopier, the Haloid (Xerox) camera, using these machines in conjunction with other devices: gatling camera, video monitor, frequency generator, biofeedback system.{{Cite web|url=http://turbulence.org/blog/2010/05/11/sonia-sheridan-generative-systems/|title=Networked_Performance – Sonia Sheridan & Generative Systems|website=turbulence.org|language=en|access-date=2017-03-22|archive-date=February 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216101123/http://turbulence.org/blog/2010/05/11/sonia-sheridan-generative-systems/|url-status=dead}}

The singular methods of instruction used by Sheridan in her Generative Systems courses created a new way of teaching art and technology integration within a practical context under the basics of creative thinking and  experimentation.{{Cite web|url=http://pl02.donau-uni.ac.at/jspui/handle/10002/438|title=MediaArtHistories Archive: Generative Systems: The Art and Technology of Classroom Collaboration|website=pl02.donau-uni.ac.at|access-date=2017-03-22|archive-date=April 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406022626/http://pl02.donau-uni.ac.at/jspui/handle/10002/438|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|url=http://madartlab.com/proto-punk-and-generative-art-pioneer-sonia-landy-sheridan/|title=Proto punk and generative art pioneer–Sonia Landy Sheridan|date=May 10, 2016|work=Mad Art Lab|access-date=2017-03-22|language=en-US}}

The students that attended the program had different backgrounds such as photographers, filmmakers, painters, Music composers, writers, inventors (Greg Gundlach received 5 patents for 3D photography, that he worked on in Generative Systems).{{Cite web|url=http://www.leonardo.info/isast/spec.projects/generative.html|title=Leonardo On-Line: Generative Systems|website=www.leonardo.info|access-date=2017-03-22}} At least 4 countries were represented among the students, Elizabeth de Ribes from Paris, France, Marisa Gonzalez from Madrid, Spain, Michael Rouviere Day from Montreal, Canada, Malú Ortega Guerrero ("Malú") from Mexico City, Mexico, Malú was working with Sonia Sheridan Martha Loving and Michael Day at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.File:Sonia Sheridan with her students from the Generative Systems in the 70¨s, Cindy,-Brian,-Greg,-Martha,-Sonia Sheridan ,-Marisa González.jpgExperienced students enrolled in the Generative Systems program: John Dunn, a former student at SAIC, invented EASEL software for a Cromemco Z2D DOS computer. This was later followed by Lumena software in a Time Arts PC computer, produced by John Dunn's California company, Time Arts, Inc, Ink jet printers were usually used. With this system she introduced the students to computers and digital image processing tools, to the basics of infography and computer animation. John Dunn also created, the software Vango for the PC. VanGo would evolve into Wonk. Jamy Sheridan worked with John Dunn on the visual part of this newer Wonk sound/image system.{{Cite journal|title=The Impact of the Work of Sonia Landy Sheridan|url=http://www.maryflanagan.com/wp-content/uploads/SoniaEssay-release.pdf|journal=Mary Flanagan|access-date=2017-04-05|archive-date=2017-06-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630024624/http://www.maryflanagan.com/wp-content/uploads/SoniaEssay-release.pdf|url-status=dead}}

Sheridan shared her philosophical heritage about art, science and technology in society with her students: John Dunn, Greg Gundlach, Martha Loving Orgain, Mitch Petchenick, Craig Goldwyn, John Mabey, Phil Malkin, Marilyn Goldstein, Barbara MacKowiak, Michael Day, Jessie Affelder, Bill McCabe, Gerda Bernstein, Elizabeth De Ribes, Pete Lekousis, Brian Oglesbee, Suzanne L. Seed, Marisa González, Mary Jane Dougherty, Holly Pedlosky, Ric Puls and Ed Kislaitis (later Covannon).{{Cite web|url=http://www.m-arteyculturavisual.com/2013/04/04/sonia-sheridan-pionera-en-nuevas-tecnologias/|title=SONIA SHERIDAN, PIONERA EN NUEVAS TECNOLOGÍAS|date=April 4, 2013|website=M-Arte y Cultura Visual|access-date=2017-03-22}}

Through the GS department, inventors, researchers, scientists, artists interacted and experimented with the students. She collaborated with Leif Brush, Willard Van De Bogart, Aldo Tambellini, as well as with the great multimedia pioneer artist Stan Vanderbeek with whom she participated in workshops and TV videos.{{Cite journal|last=Sheridan|first=Sonia Landy|date=January 1, 1983|title=Generative Systems versus Copy Art: A Clarification of Terms and Ideas|jstor=1574794|journal=Leonardo|volume=16|issue=2|pages=103–108|doi=10.2307/1574794|s2cid=147002338 }}

For the first time in Europe, Sheridan had her solo show and workshop with the Lumena System at the Musee d'Art Moderne de La Ville de Paris, in the exhibition "Electra" in Paris in 1983 and 1984.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fondation-langlois.org/html/f/media.php?NumObjet=61820|title=Exposition " Electra ", Paris, 1983|website=fondation-langlois.org|access-date=2017-04-04}}

In 1986, she brought the same System to the National Museum Art Center Reina Sofia in Madrid at the exhibition "Processos Cultura y Nuevas Tecnologías". This was the first exhibition celebrated at the National Museum Art Center Reina Sofia.{{Cite web|url=http://www.museoreinasofia.es/exposiciones/procesos-cultura-nuevas-tecnologias|title=Procesos: cultura y nuevas tecnologías {{!}} Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía|website=www.museoreinasofia.es|language=es|access-date=2017-04-04}}

In October 1986, took place the "Making Waves. Interactive Art/Science Exhibition", in Evanston, Illinois. "Making Waves" provides a historical perspective about art and technology. Seven artists and scientists whose pioneering work has had a major impact on the direction and development of the new art. Sonia Sheridan had a major exhibition workshop presenting the Computer Lumena System.{{Cite book|url=http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/29763487.html|title=Making waves: an interactive art/science exhibition, October 17 – November 16, 1986|last1=Kirkpatrick|first1=Diane|last2=Evanston Art Center|date=January 1, 1986|publisher=The Center|location=Evanston, Ill.|language=en}}

Generative Systems conference and DVD publications at the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom, the Beatle's old school in the year 1999.

Sheridan in October 2009 reunited with some Generative Systems students at "The Art of Sonia Landy Sheridan" exhibition at the Hood Museum of Art in Dartmouth College, Hanover (New Hampshire).{{Cite web|url=http://hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu/explore/news/art-sonia-landy-sheridan|title=The Art of Sonia Landy Sheridan {{!}} Hood Museum|website=hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu|access-date=2017-04-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406022303/http://hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu/explore/news/art-sonia-landy-sheridan|archive-date=2017-04-06|url-status=dead}}

In 2013, at the "Festival of Art and Visual Culture" in Berlin, Transmediale, the curator of the exhibition of the festival, Jacob Lillemose, selected Sonia Sheridan with her solo show "Exhibition Imaging with Machine Processes". The Generative Art of Sonia Landy Sheridan as a researcher and pioneer in new media not only in North America but throughout the world, as well as for her teaching at SAIC, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.{{Cite web|url=https://transmediale.de/content/imaging-machine-processes|title=Imaging With Machine Processes {{!}} transmediale|website=transmediale.de|language=en|access-date=2017-03-22}}

Since April 2005, at the Daniel Langlois Foundation for Art, Science, and Technology in Montreal, Canada has the Sonia Landy Sheridan fonds, documentation, archives, texts, digital files and artwork, master videotapes of the program by John Mabey, sound tapes, early computer original Sheridan discs. In 2006, Kathryn Farley was awarded a Grant for Researcher in Residence by the Daniel Langlois Foundation to chart the history of the Generative Systems, a groundbreaking instructional program founded in 1970 by Professor Sonia Landy Sheridan at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and trace its seminal impact on the development of technological arts education.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fondation-langlois.org/html/f/page.php?NumPage=2027|title=Kathryn Farley, Generative Systems : Color-in-Color|website=fondation-langlois.org|access-date=2017-04-06}} Farley worked in close contact with Web designer, Ludovic Carpentier, and archivist Vincent Bonin, to conceive of an interface that illuminates the complex matrix of ideas, processes and practices that Generative Systems gave rise to, drew inspiration from and transformed during its lifespan.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fondation-langlois.org/html/f/page.php?NumPage=2042|title=Kathryn Farley, Generative Systems : Lettre à Sonia Sheridan|website=fondation-langlois.org|access-date=2017-04-06}} Information is arranged within the matrix in a way that emphasizes the interconnected components of the program, helping to demonstrate its collaborative, experimental and process-oriented features in real-time.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fondation-langlois.org/html/f/page.php?NumPage=513|title=La fondation Daniel Langlois : À propos de la fondation Daniel Langlois|website=fondation-langlois.org|access-date=2017-04-06}}

These records can, for the most part, be found in the series Books, exhibition catalogues, periodicals and manuscripts and Generative Systems classroom records at the Daniel Langlois Foundation. Finally, the fonds includes correspondence and general documents relating to Sheridan's personal life, including boxes of her father's correspondence with her relating to Generative Systems developments. The fonds consist of seven series: Research and teaching activities (1960–2002, particularly 1960–1990); Publishing and editing activities; Events: exhibitions and conferences (1954–2004, particularly 1963–1992); Books, exhibition catalogues, periodicals and manuscripts (1964–2004, particularly 1964–1994); Background files (1968–2004, particularly 1968–1993); Artworks and printouts (1969–2002); General correspondence (1973–1994).{{Cite web|url=http://www.fondation-langlois.org/html/e/page.php?NumPage=2051|title=Sonia Sheridan fonds : Kathryn Farley: Interview with Sonia Sheridan|website=fondation-langlois.org|access-date=2017-03-22}}

• Artist in the Science Lab (3M Corporation, St. Paul, 1976).
• Energized Art/Science (Chicago Museum of Science and Industry and 3M Corporation, St. Paul, 1978).
• Musèe d'Art Modern de la Ville de Paris. Electra.{{Cite book|title=Electra|publisher=Les Amis du Musée d'Art Modern de la Ville de Paris|year=1983|isbn=290449703X|location=Paris, France|pages=396–397}}
• Museo Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. Procesos: Cultura y Nuevas Tecnologías.{{Cite book|title=Cultura y Nuevas tecnologías|publisher=Museo Centro de Arte Reina Sofía|year=1986|isbn=8486269032|location=Madrid, Spain|pages=55|chapter=Cuatro modos de tiempo: el uso del pincel, la cámara, la fotocopiadora y el ordenador}}
• Alcalá, José R., Canales, Fernando Ñ.: Copy Art. La fotocopia como soporte expresivo.{{Cite book|title=Copy-Art. La fotocopia como soporte expresivo|last=Alcalá, José R., Canales, Fernando Ñ.|publisher=Colección PARAARTE|year=1986|isbn=8450547717|location=Spain|pages=52–55}}
• LEONARDO. Journal of the international society for the arts, sciences ad technology, Volume 23.{{Cite book|title=LEONARDO. Journal of the international society for the arts, sciences ad technology|publisher=Pergamon Press|year=1990|editor1=Sonia Landy Sheridan|pages=175–181|chapter=Mind/Senses/Hand: The Generative Systems Program at the Art Institute of Chicago 1970–1980}}
• Urbons, Klaus. Copy Art.{{Cite book|title=Copy art : Kunst und Design mit dem Fotokopierer|last=Urbons|first=Klaus|author-link=Klaus Urbons|publisher=DuMont Taschenbücher|year=1991|isbn=3770126556 |location=Köln|language=de|pages=102–108}}
• Urbons, Klaus. Elektrografie. Analoge und digitale Bilder.{{Cite book|title=Elektrografie. Analoge und digitale Bilder|last=Urbans|first=Klaus|author-link=Klaus Urbons|publisher=DuMont|year=1994|isbn=3770132033|location=Köln|language=de|pages=7–28}}
• Evolution 2.0. Generative Systems & Generative Art. (ISEA, Liverpool, 1998)
• González, Marisa. Registros Hiperfotográficos e Instalaciones.{{Cite book|title=Registros Hiperfotográficos e Instalaciones|last=González|first=Marisa|publisher=LA FÁBRICA|year=2000|isbn=9788489889156|location=Madrid|pages=228|chapter=Generative Systems}}
• Landy Sheridan, Sonia. Art at the dawning of the electronic era: generative systems.{{Cite book|title=Art at the dawning of the electronic era: generative systems|last=Landy Sheridan|first=Sonia|publisher=Lonesome Press|year=2014|isbn=9780615888699}}

• computer art
• generative art

• [http://sonart.org/ Sonia Landy Sheridan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419223904/http://sonart.org/ |date=April 19, 2017 }}
• [http://www.fondation-langlois.org/html/f/ La fondation Daniel Langlois]
• [http://www.algoart.com Algoart]

Category:School of the Art Institute of Chicago faculty