Before he came to lecture in our Digital Art & New Media class, I didn’t really know anything about Ken Perlin aside from the fact that he is a professor of computer science at our school, which I found out via a Google search from my phone on my way in.  Now, thanks to Wikipedia & other interwebs, I know that :

- Ken developed an algorithm for a recursive pattern called Perlin noise, which is used in CGI for video games and so many motion pictures that it would be pointless for me to try and name them.

- He used to work in the computer generated animation department of Mathematical Applications Group, Inc. where he worked on the original Tron, which is really, really cool.

- He was featured at the Whitney Museum of American Art.  I did a little archive digging and found this page on the Whitney Artport (I see what you did there, Whitney) that has examples of his work.  Play around with the links.  They’re interactive and intellectually stimulating and seeing that at the Whitney would be way better than the time I went to see Cory Arcangel’s Pro Tools for a contemporary art class.

- He gave an interesting lecture for a Microsoft Research event about computer gaming as an educational resource.

- He is an avid blogger and sometimes he writes poetry :

“Grace Notes (annotated)”

Grace notes                                    (The girl has got an eagle eye)

That Ginger snaps                         (Gilligan’s Island is gripped with fear!)

While Cherry blossoms                  (I’ve heard she’s even grown an inch)

When Destiny calls                        (Using free minutes, i might add.)  

And Lily pads                                (Accounting has called the FBI)

As Scarlett letters                         (Her penmanship is lovely, so I hear)

But Rosemary leaves                    (Poor poor Pierpont Finch)

When Victoria falls                       (Can England be saved? It’s all too sad.)

I’m sorry that I’ve waited too long since the lecture to say much about it but Dear Ken Perlin, if you read this, I think you should come lecture for our class again and maybe show us the interactive projection demo we weren’t able to see the first time.