IRIDESCENCE
— bringing art holograms one step closer
Given beauty and visual dynamic of art holograms it is tragic that we rarely experience them in peoples homes or our urban environment. Since first demonstrated in the 1960s artists have been drawn to holography. Very few however have the persistence and skills to bring their vision through the technically precise process. Major new holographic works often require grants or a commission. Every hologram takes significant investment, resulting in very few art holograms in our everyday experience.
Running a the Center for Holographic Arts, I see the inspirational power of art holograms — and also the challenge for artists to create major new works.
So we teamed up with the Hologram Foundation in Paris who are generously financing The Holographic Art Grant. Hugues Souparis — best know for the holograms on the Euro, established the Hologram Foundation as a funding pool to help artists overcome production costs and make artworks available to buyers. The first edition of this competitive award drew proposals from around the world and highlighted how many artists have ideas for new holographic artworks. Six artists were selected based on the artistic merit, technical quality and for the simple exhibition design of their projects. The holograms they produced show a diversity of technology and technique while bringing the viewer into a sculptural field light.
The hologram is a record of light. The fidelity of laser light frozen into a microscopic physical structure. Illuminated the light is reconstructed, woven into the recorded scene. The artwork is held by a holographic window that punctures our space with the recorded visual scene. As we move through this choreographed visual space what emerges pushes on our sense of reality. The superimposed dimensions of the holographic scene bring the viewer into a composition of visual and spatial dynamics.
Holography offers artists new dimensions of compositional space and presents to viewer an artwork that can be explored. The artworks created by these first six artist have been brought together for the exhibition IRIDESCENCE, shown in Paris and in New York during 2017. All proceeds of sales will go into the pool to enable the next artists to create.
Come and see the exhibition — currently at the HoloCenter on Governors Island until October 9, and stay tuned for the open call for 2018 production. The goal is to bring holograms into your everyday environments.
