Agenda

Paul Thomas  (University of New South Wales)

Concerning the Quantum in Art: Making the Invisible Visible

Abstract:

The presentation investigates the interplay between materiality and the image, exploring how art can engage with the underlying immaterial realm of atomic and quantum phenomena to propose alternative visual expressions of the world. By moving beyond the objective, quantifiable frameworks of classical science, it examines how scale fundamentally transforms our understanding of materiality. Classical materiality is inherently tied to our macroscopic experience, yet at microscopic and quantum scales, the principles governing reality shift profoundly. Highlighting the lineage between art and quantum physics, the presentation explores how artists have adopted and reinterpreted quantum phenomena in their work. It also interrogates the observer's role in shaping what is seen and measured, emphasizing the fluidity between observation and creation. Using examples from my own practice, I will discuss the development of works such as Midas, Nanoessence, Quantum Consciousness, and Quantum Chaos, illustrating the research methodologies and conceptual frameworks employed. These artworks aim to create aesthetic experiences that render the invisible and intangible microscopic world perceptible, offering audiences new ways of understanding materiality and its relation to the immaterial.

Bio:

Dr. Paul Thomas is an Honorary Professor at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney. He is the founder and series chair of the International Transdisciplinary Imaging Conference series (2010–2024). In 2000, he founded the Biennale of Electronic Arts Perth (BEAP) in Western Australia and served as its inaugural director in 2002, 2004, and 2007. As an artist, he is a pioneer in transdisciplinary art practice. His practice-led research not only draws inspiration from nanoscience and quantum theory but actively operates within these atomic domains. Thomas’s artworks, are rooted in scientific research, have been exhibited both nationally and internationally. His recent works focus on capturing glimpses of reality, with his 2022 piece Quantum Chaos exploring the liminal space between the quantum and classical world. He has also led Quantum Drawing workshops at international institutions His academic publications revolve around the idea that probability and uncertainty are fundamental forces at the core of both art and science. His notable works include Quantum Art and Uncertainty (2018), Nanoart: The Immateriality of Art(2013), and Reconfiguring Space (2009). He is currently serving as the editor of the Encyclopedia for New Media Art. Media Art Volume II Artists and Practice, Bloomsbury. Personal website: http://Visiblespace.com

Registration for online participation: link

The event is part of the seminar series organized by the Venice Centre for Digital and Public Humanities (VeDPH), Department of Humanities, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.