The process of creating a hologram is complicated. From there, holography was utilized as a new visual medium that was continually improved upon by scientists through the 1970s until it eventually lost its allure and became less popular over the following decades. With the invention of lasers, a much more powerful light source than previously available, by Russian scientists in 1960, other scientists were able to continue experimenting with the concept, eventually creating the first 3D holographic image in 1962. Because of the inability to create fully “coherent” or monochrome light sources, development of these optical holograms did not begin until the 1960s. However, what we envision when talking about holograms is “optical holography,” which is the process of creating three-dimensional objects with light. He would go on to win a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1971 for “his invention and development of the holographic method.” This process is referred to as “electron holography” and is still used in electron microscopy today.

Scientist Dennis Gabor developed the “Theory of Holography” in 1947 while conducting research on improving the image resolution of electron microscopes.

Holography itself is a complex scientific process with a long history of development and use dating back almost 75 years and continuing into the present era. Holograms as a Scientific ConceptĪ hologram is defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as, “a three-dimensional image reproduced from a pattern of interference produced by a split coherent beam of radiation.” While this is a practical definition, it is confusing and does not fit well with our science fiction interpretation of holograms. These perspectives will serve as a demonstration as to how holograms have disrupted the arts in the past and the implications of current holographic disruptions within the industry. This article will attempt to describe the scientific origins of holograms, contextualize holography’s use in the visual arts, and analyze their current and potential future place within the popular music industry. In order to understand holograms and the art of holography, one must look at it from a scientific perspective as well as from an arts and cultural perspective. This makes breaking down what holograms are challenging since the word itself is less of an object and more of a concept in the collective consciousness. First introduced to the public consciousness in the 1960s, the word itself has become a cultural phenomenon eliciting connections with “magic, modernity, and optimism” rather than a realistic output that can be viewed or used by the general public.

But what is a hologram? According to Sean Johnston an educator at the University of Glasgow, the word “hologram” has morphed over the years from its original intended purpose of describing a scientific process, to a word associated with particular cultural connotations.

Light stars hologram projector