

Paul Thomas, currently based in Sydney, 1950.
Professor at UNSW Art and Design and currently the Director of the Studio for Transdisciplinary Art Research (STAR) as well as the co-chair of the Transdisciplinary Imaging Conference series 2010–2018. In 2000 he instigated and was the founding Director of the Biennale of Electronic Arts Perth 2002, 2004 and 2007. As an artist Thomas is a pioneer of transdisciplinary art practice. His practice led research takes not only inspiration from nanoscience and quantum theory, but actually operates there currently exploring concepts of visualising the liminal space between the classical and quantum world. Thomas’s current publication Quantum Art and Uncertainty (published October 2018) is based on the concept that at the core of both art and science we find the twin forces of probability and uncertainty.
His internationally exhibited research projects have been based on working with scientist and asking specific questions. The art work ‘Quantum Consciousness’ was based on experiments done in collaboration with Professor Andrea Morello, Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology, UNSW. The artwork was created from data of Thomas reading sections of Feynman’s 1982 paper ‘Simulating Physics with Computers’, to affect the spin of a single electron. Previous projects exploring nanotechnologies have also been exhibited nationally and Internationally. ‘Multiverse’ 2013 based on Richard Feynman’s diagrams of photons reflecting from a mirror, ‘Nanoessence’ 2009 which explored the space between life and death at a nano level and ‘Midas’ 2007 which researched what is transferred when skin touches gold at a nano level. Other publications are Quantum Art and Uncertainty (2018), Nanoart: The Immateriality of Art, (2013), Relive Media art Histories, co-edited with Sean Cubitt and Interference Strategies and Cloud and Molecular Aesthetics co-edited with Lanfranco Aceti and Edward Colless.
The works in the Collection were donated by the artist after a process of adaptation and improvements aimed at ensuring their proper preservation, as part of a research program conducted in collaboration with the General Directorate of Innovation and Digital Culture of the Department of Culture of the Generalitat of Catalonia.


"Quantum Chaos Set" , 2022
The work, a collaboration between Paul Thomas and Jan Andruszkiewicz, is a visualization of the shift in our cultural understanding of what exists in terms of the difference between the classical and quantum world of uncertainty. The experimental artwork explores the liminal space between the classical and the quantum using data from quantum chaos. This space is a conceptual and contextual location of a permeable boundary.
Artwork donated by the artist

"Quantum Consciousness and Richard Feynman" , 2015
Quantum Consciousness explores the link between quantum computing, Consciousness, and artistic expression. Utilizing real-time data from a phosphorus electron, the installation visualizes dynamic quantum states influenced by the artists voice reading Richard Feynman’s 1982 paper on Quantum computers.
A microwave signal modulates the electrons precession, transforming quantum fluctuations into visual and auditory experiences. This artwork investigates the co-emergence of human thought and quantum phenomena, materializing the intersection of impossible quantum states and human consciousness.
With the collaboration of Kevin Raxworthy.
Artwork donated by the artist

"Quantum Chaos " Series Nº 8 , 2020
Quantum Chaos series is a collection of paintings that investigates the relationship between classical chaos and quantum mechanics. Through the use of custom squeegees, the artist layers gestural brushstrokes, which are partially erased to reveal hidden spaces that metaphorically represent the boundary between classical and quantum realms.
The chaotic brushstrokes embody classical uncertainty , while the influence of quantum data reflects the unpredictable nature of quantum behavior. Each painting is a dynamic exploration of the invisible forces shaping the universe, translating abstract quantum phenomena into a visual form, where chaos is reinterpreted into order, and the intangible is made perceptible. This interaction between traditional painting methods and quantum-inspired concepts emphasizes the coexistence of visible and invisible worlds.
The series reimagines reality through the lens of quantum uncertainty, offering a new way to perceive the universe.
Artwork donated by the artist

Nanoessence , 2010
The Nanoessence Project examines life at a sub-cellular level using an atomic force microscope (AFM) to analyze living and dead HaCat skin cell.
Data collected during a residency at symbiotic and the Nanochemistry research institute informs the interactive installation. Viewers breath, captured by sensors, directly influences the visuals and sounds, symbolizing life’s essence through cell topographies. This interplay promoters a sensory understanding of microscopic life, re-examining concepts of existence and creating a metaphysical experience that blurs the line between life and death.
Whit the collaboration of Kevin Raxworthy.
Artwork donated by the artist

Multiverse , 2012
Multiverse is an interactive artwork visualizing parallel universes through Richard Feynman’s quantum theories on photons. The installation reflects the viewers portrait, analogous to a photons Spain, based on Feynman’s ´probability amplitude ‘ using data from an atomic force microscope, the work generates thousands of alternate versions of the portrait , revealing multiple realities.
The project highlights that alternative quantum worlds coexist ant are equally real, independent of observation, making the invisible quantum world visible to the audience.
With the collaboration of Kevin Raxworthy
Artwork donated by the artist

Midas, 2007
Midas delves into the transitional phase between skin and gold, using data from an atomic force microscope (AFM) to capture atomic vibrations.
This research, conducted in collaboration With SymbioticA and the Nanochemistry Research Institute, explores the intersection of biology and material transformation.
Drawing inspiration from the myth of King Midas, the project transforms this scientific data into a visual and sonic installation, amplifying the nanoscale experience of cellular transformation into gold, creating a metaphorical exploration of touch and transmutation.
Whit the collaboration de Kevin Raxworthy
Artwork donated by the artist