Nik Gaffney

FoAM is a distributed laboratory operating on the cusp of research, development, presentation and reflection of creative practices. FoAM aims to become an edge-habitat (between culture and science, technology and nature, reality and virtuality) exploring evolution and interaction of dynamic systems. FoAM's collaborators have a wide range of experience with interdisciplinary projects, initiated from both cultural and scientific operators. One of the most prominent skillsets within FoAM is the ability to translate between scientific and artistic methodologies, as well as their application in research and development.

FoAM originated in Starlab NV, a private institute researching Bits, Atoms, Neurons and Genes (BANG). The lab synthesized knowledge in scientific and technological areas such as nano-technology, artificial intelligence, quantum physics, propulsion physics, medicine, genetics, neurology, robotics, bio-informatics, neurobotics and brain studies. In 2001, FoAM vzw became an independent techno-cultural operator, while fostering its established links with scientific and technological institutions.

FoAM has a network of partners distributed around the globe, which has conditioned FoAM's experience with conducting collaborative projects, as well as using and developing Computer Supported Collaborative Work tools. With its motto 'grow your own worlds', FoAM encourages its partners, collaborators, visitors and users to actively participate in conceiving their own (cultural) future. The organisation is continually investigating new public contexts for its fields of inquiry, that generally abide in between the disciplinary boundaries. These fields are grouped in 5 main thematic categories: macroCulture (Reality), metaCulture (Consciousness), multiCulture (Community), microCulture (Substance) and zeroCulture (Life), but the results of FoAM's projects usually encompass more than one category, and if truly successful, all of them.