Dr. Martin Richardson De Montfort University, Leicester Play (10min) Download: FLV | MOV | mp3

On the evening of 13th March 2008, between the hours of 6:00pm and 2:00am, five reflection holograms were recorded of John Harrison’s fourth timekeeper ‘H4’, at the Royal Observatory, National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London. Arguably the most important timekeeper ever made this watch finally solved one of the greatest scientific problems of its time, that of finding Longitude and marked the beginning of accurate global positioning. In recent years public awareness of the watch has witnessed an unprecedented level of popularity, together with a string of authoritative writings including the release of Dava Sobels book, ‘Longitude’, with introduction by NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong, a filmed drama adaptation and even a television sitcom ‘Only Fools and Horses’ where viewing figures reached a record twenty–four million. The watch, its history and its place in history, remain subject of fascination and curiosity. Now its journey to hologram is traced in this paper through the events of that March evening.

Yves Gentet*, Michael Shevtsov** * Bordeaux, France, ** St. Petersburg, Russia Play (24min) Download: FLV | MOV | mp3

“Ultimate Holography” technologies for museum applications: Denisyuk colour mobile camera, pulsed mobile camera, 3Dholoprint

Dietmar Öhlmann Syn4D™ GmbH Play (35min) Download: FLV | MOV | mp3

In these past 30 years, Holography has been mainly used in museum for exhibitions itself. Now, in our digital world, Space – time coordinates can be printed as digital Holograms, giving a new educational tool to museum. Digital 4–dimensional files are available as DICOM in medicine, CAD in Engineering and Architecture, and as 3–D scan format in Geography and digital Archaeology. Our experience with museums shows the interest of digital holography especially for its visual, educational and attractive capacity of presentation. Presentations in museums required from curators almost a scientific approached of what is possible with what they dreams to use for their exhibitions. Syn4D™ is offering a full service of imaging creation and display of synthetic 4dimensional information called Synfograms. The main advantage to use digital holograms lay in the capacity to create, not just reproduce content in time and space, showing what otherwise would not be possible to explain and visualised. The price, the additional lightning, and limited mass production still make the media a luxury. XYZ imaging and Geola uab Zebra or HoloPrint made this wonderful technology available on the market. We provide the interface between the conceptual ideas, printable file, and final display which communicate the museums need, and the technology. According to the museums, we have been working on different applications and presentations types, which will be illustrated in this lecture.

Prof. John M Webster University of Aberdeen, Scotland Play (25min) Download: FLV | MOV | mp3

Holography and associated laser based recording techniques have applications in museum situations. The USSR initially lead in this field; namely by the “father” of this type of holography, Professor Uri Denisyuk, who developed the technology to a point where it was used for travelling holographic exhibitions of historic Russian artefacts.

Probably one of the many milestones in the progress of holography for museum (among other) applications was the engineering of the pulsed ruby laser during the early 80’s. It attained a level where it could be reliably used for holography on unstable subjects such as living creatures both in the laboratory and under difficult field conditions; more latterly this system has been succeeded by the ND Yagx2 systems. Examples of making holographic recordings under extremely difficult field conditions will be discussed and illustrated.

The paper discusses the application of laser recording, for three–dimensional display of ancient artefacts and medical dissections, for museum exhibition in hospitals. The paper also discuses non–destructive testing techniques for the detection of subsurface damage on such items such as paintings where debonding between painted surfaces and their supporting background may have occurred. A further associated technique is also discussed which detects defects in ancient metal structures. This latter technique was used on the Marco Aurelio equestrian bronze, located in Rome.

Prof. Hans Bjelkhagen Centre for Modern Optics at NEWI/OpTIC, Wales, UK Play (36min) Download: FLV | MOV | mp3

An overview of the colour holographic recording technique is presented. Colour holography is the most accurate imaging technology known to science. It is now possible to produce 3D holographic images for display that are almost indistinguishable from the original object or scene. Colour holography offers an alternative route for the display, dissemination, study and investigation of rare or fragile or culturally sensitive artifacts. It also offers a route to novel display techniques and enables museum objects too fragile for normal display to be shown. An advantage is that rare, precious or high value artifacts can be displayed without any concern about theft or damage thus reducing costs for insurance, shipping, etc. Until recently display holography was usually associated with monochrome 3D imaging. After the appearance of colour holography it has become possible to record holographic images of 2D objects, such as oil paintings. A holographic contact recording of a painting reproduces the painting with all its surface texture details preserved, such as brush strokes, the painter’s signature, etc. Possessing an exact copy of the painting could be important for insurance and restoration purposes, in case of theft or damage. The paper also discusses the rendition of colour in a hologram. The major advantages of holographic reproduction are discussed together with its limitations.

Frank DeFreitas*, Bill Pugh** * Pennsylvania, USA, ** Florida, USA Play (8min) Download: FLV | MOV | mp3

The objectives of this project were several–fold. The primary objective was to give high school students an opportunity to experience lasers, optics and holography in a live–project, real–world working environment that had significant value and meaning to their region (Jacksonville, Florida). This was accomplished by recording recovered artifacts from the Maple Leaf shipwreck as large–format (30×40 cm), display holograms, under a tight – and real – production schedule.

Museum objects are extremely valuable – and vulnerable. That is why so few ever leave any museum. If they do leave, there are very high insurance costs due to the ever–present danger of damage or breakage. Keep in mind that even air and light itself can damage some objects over time. Recording the objects as 3–dimensional holograms allow the holograms, rather than the objects, to go on the road – increasing the number of people who can experience their history and their place within our culture. You can only have one “real” object – but you can have numerous holograms of that object being viewed in many different locations, by large numbers of people, all at the same time.

In Ukraine and Russia they have been recording priceless museum artifacts as holograms for decades. They utilize these holograms to educate people who would not make it in to the cultural centers and museums. A good example in England is Lindow Man, a hologram created of a male human body found preserved in the bogs. The actual Lindow Man is on permanent display at the British Museum, but holography has allowed people from all over the world to see it right in front of them as a 3–dimensional hologram.

In the 1980’s, I made holograms of the skeletal remains of a British Revolutionary War solider unearthed at the site of the Battle of Germantown in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The remains were given a proper military burial, then the holograms were placed on display at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology. This was a unique project in that the holograms are the only remaining record of this historical find. There are many other examples as well. So, there are already–existing real world practical applications, and many more new ones to explore.

In setting up the program, both myself and Mr. Bill Pugh of Englewood High School in Jacksonville Florida, discussed having a theme to this program. I suggested recording museum objects as display holograms, and Mr. Pugh suggested the Maple Leaf. Mr. Pugh began meeting with museum representatives. It was then through the willingness and cooperation of the Jacksonville Museum of Science & History (MOSH) – along with Mr. Pugh’s representation of the project objectives, that the Maple Leaf became the theme.

It also bears mentioning that the project would not be possible at all without the support of administration, both at Englewood and at the district level of Duval County. This was my third or fourth project visit to Jacksonville over the past 8 years or so, and they have been extremely forthcoming in their commitment to lasers and holography for students.

My role, as always with an educational project such as this, is as a facilitator. This is different than a coordinator. A coordinator deals primarily (but not always exclusively) with the logistics of a project. A facilitator works in a much broader project context. I’m the third party that provides the necessary catalyst to insure that invested participants, at all levels, are able to easily move from point A to point B to achieve their objectives. In short, its basically someone who has an understanding of group dynamics and processes, along with the necessary content skills (in this case, holography), to help the group get the job done. It is part democratic, part directive. A good facilitator knows which applies at any given moment.

I know that all of the students who participated in this project are very excited to have one of their holograms on display at the Holography in the Modern Museum conference. They feel like pioneers by using holography in a museum and archival setting, and in a sense, they certainly are. Other holograms from this project will be displayed at the National Civil War Museum, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and the Museum of Science and History in Jacksonville, Florida. I am honored to have one in my own personal collection and will cherish it, and the memory of the project, forever.

Sarah Maline Farmington, ME USA Play (26min) Download: FLV | MOV | mp3

Since its inception as a display medium, holography has navigated a confusing channel through traditional and contemporary visual languages in art. Holography is unusual and frequently confounding in its ability to access a number of medium-based aesthetic dialogues–those of cinema, video, photography, installation, sculpture and painting. The medium’s surprising and delightful formal properties and complex relationship to other mediums have often overshadowed the significant conceptual content of holographic works. This paper looks at the ways in which ways the multiple, often simultaneous visual languages of holography continue to pose challenges in exhibition and criticism for both holographers and curators. What strategies can holographers and curators employ to encourage the exhibition of holography and foster a contemporary critical response? Further, now that new-media aesthetics and criticism are ascendant, and have begun address many of the critical questions that have confronted holography over the past 40 years, in what ways can holography today engage and find a place in new-media discourse?

Matthias Lauk LAUK GmbH, Germany Play (22min) Download: FLV | MOV | mp3

I have been asked to tell you about my experiences as a curator and initiator of over 300 holography exhibitions.

The fact is that the biggest hurdle for curators to organize holography exhibitions is their lack of knowledge, their preconception or even their lack of confidence. Not that curators are too stupid to be interested in our preferred media, holography, but they need, like most of us, guidelines.

The problem is that holography had from the beginning an ambivalent image presented on one hand as new recording technique and as such a fascinating media, and on the other hand a new form of art.

The producers of holography have not been able over all the years, even through distinguished conferences or opinion leaders, to get holography rightly classified. Holography still is an opalescent visual media with a fuzzy image. I may say that I may even have contributed to the confusion by exhibiting holography as in well known art museums in Hanover or Nürnberg, including the Ludwig Museum in Cologne, but also in technical museums, e.g. the Deutsche Museum in Munich or the Museo de Sciencia in Barcelona. The commercial exhibitions I did, I made a living out of my holography exhibitions, in theme parks or commercial malls did not help the matter. However, as over 3 Million people visited these exhibitions, the media was discovered and commented.

Today, holography is still “media” weeds or a media that has still not grown up. It will have to acquire some maturity to be able to develop from a fascination media into a well established and accepted media with diverse and qualitative manifestations

Andrew Pepper Creative Holography Index Play (26min) Download: FLV | MOV | mp3

Much of our understanding of the world comes from looking at the things which surround us. Hologaphy is the first technique, since the invention of linear perspective during the Renaissance, to offer a fundamentally different method of recording and displaying space and the objects within it. If holography reproduces the light which originally came from an object, what is it that we see when we look at the hologram? Does this ‘possible illusion’ have a place in museum culture?

This paper explores key historical milestones in cultural holographic imaging, the paradox of looking at, and interpreting, objects which are not actually there and the creative potential, explored by artists, using objects or the space where they once were.