light in the third dimension
Dr Laser demonstrating in his basement studio how his hologram machine works using a laser pointer and smoke. Holograms seem like a relic of yesteryear, however you can find it still used today on everyday objects like security measures on paper currency.
An example of hologram art piece held by Dr Laser (John Sapan) that illustrates and impression of an image in light. And similar to a sonar detecting objects by bouncing light off, a hologram is the capture of light itself. A beam is split into two halves, one half (object beam) is bounced of the object, and the other half (reference beam) is bounced off a mirror. Where the two half beam meet up again on a photographic plate, the hologram is created.
Down in the depths of his studio, Dr Laser calibrates his lasers in preparation of creating a new hologram. The room itself is the camera, and this structure is similar to a lens. As the width of the light wave is approximately half of a millionth of a metre in size, the laser structure is on top of a extremely heavy base to keep the beam stable and that cannot be moved by a passing truck or construction nearby.
Everything is fabricated and maintained onsite. In a wonderfully maker themed linage of occupants, the building previously housed a company that manufactured hospital equipment, and prior to that, a blacksmith’s workshop.
Andy Warhol, Bill Clinton and many other famous persons and heads of state have sat for Sapen to have their portrait taken in holography. The son of an electrical engineer, and a man of many years experience and volumes of charisma, Dr Laser is also a professional actor in his spare time. This combination makes for entertaining educational demonstrations, full of pranks such as attaching his laser pointer to a toy ray gun for his younger audiences.
Down in the depths of his studio, Dr Laser calibrates his lasers in preparation of creating a new hologram. The beam will reflect off an image to create the two dimensional representation as similar to a photograph. However a second ‘reference’ beam is also active that creates the sense of depth, hence creating a three dimensional effect to the final image.
In the modest one room New York City midtown museum including his studio in the basement below, it is one of the last remaining dedicated holography museums accessible to the public in the world today. Dr Laser frequently runs teaching programs to kids, and occasionally holds educational tours to the public in the hope that this art form is kept alive well into the 21st century.