The Midas Project: Paul Thomas and the sound of atoms vibrating — The Midas Project gathers data from an Atomic Force Microscope focusing on the particles that exist at the interface between skin and gold. The work examines the data gathered at the nano level to investigate how we become part of the world. This project explores and extends the principles of visualising the infinite smallness through new technologies. The research investigates questions of nanotechnological spatial boundaries and turns the infinitely small into an audible and palpable experience.

Midas project from Paul Thomas on Vimeo

Dr. Paul Thomas is the coordinator of the Master of Electronic Art and the Studio for Electronic Arts (SEA) at Curtin University of Technology. In 2000 Paul instigated and was the founding Director of the Biennale of Electronic Arts Perth 2002, 2004. Paul has been working in the area of electronic arts since 1981 when he co-founded the group Media-Space, which was part of the first global link up with artists connected to ARTEX. In 1995 he founded the group Terminus=, an online research group, and in 2001 he developed the Forums for Electronic Arts Research (FEAR).Paul’s own recent practice-led research, the Midas project, in which he is researching the transition phase between skin and gold, was exhibited at Enter3 in Prague 2007, and was carried out in collaboration with the Nano Research Institute, Curtin University of Technology, and SymbioticA at the University of Western Australia. Paul is currently working on a commissioned intelligent architecture public art work for the Curtin Mineral and Chemistry Research Precinct in collaboration with Chris Malcolm (John Curtin Gallery) and Mike Phillips (Director of IDat). Paul was on the Media Art Histories program committee for the re:place conference in Berlin 2007 and is now the co-chair for the next conference, re:live in Melbourne 2009.

Paul’s PhD topic was a reconfiguration of spatial attitudes; he is a practising electronic artist whose work can be seen on his website Visiblespace. Recent videos here.