Holographic Art & Exhibitions by Al Razutis - Visual Alchemy 1970's

Photos, Holography and art by Al Razutis

1972-1976 Photos - VISUAL ALCHEMY studio with holograms on display:

2020 illustrated essay on Alchemy and Visual Alchemy: 'Alchemy, visual alchemy and their respective arts'

TEXTS - PHOTOS: ' History of Visual Alchemy Studio Photos'

TEXTS - PHOTOS: ' Holographic Intentions at Visual Alchemy'

TEXTS ONLY: 'History of Visual Alchemy - Chronology

Photos of Early Transmission & Reflection holography - VISUAL ALCHEMY - 1972-1975:

                                                                <                                                                        

> COMPLETE LIST OF HOLOGRAPHIC WORKS - by Al Razutis 1974 - 2016

> HOLOGRAPHIC INTENTIONS and EXIT   ('Leaving Plato's Cave...')

QUICK LINKS to works below:

Mimetic Glass           Visual Alchemy Solo Exhibition           Newtonian Galactic Assembly Line           Prima Materia (Invisible Section)

Rainforest           Autoportrait 1974           Autoportrait Sundial          

Autoportrait Mortuary           Incline / Stressed / Plane           Surrogate 1974

Aether Vane 1974           Chain LInk 1974           Flypaper           Venetian Blind 1974

Camera Obscura           This Is Not A Spoon           Hologram of a Translucent Object

Visual Alchemy Exhibition Catalogue

MIMETIC GLASS

Holographic Film Animation - 1974

MIMETIC GLASS - 1974 - Installation view at 'Deja Vu Exhibition' 2010 Laser transmission film animation hologram 12" x 73" Film Strip with individual frames

Cylinder hologram gate housing used in the creation of 'Mimetic Glass' at Visual Alchemy 1974. Designed and constructed by Al Razutis and plexiglas manufacturers

'MIMETIC GLASS' hologram (1974) was rediscovered in 2010 in storage. This film animation hologram may be the 'first motion picture hologram' made in Canada. This is true holographic animation. Verification or contesting claims are encouraged.
TECHNIQUE EMPLOYED: Animation with patial multi-plexing (separate frames) of laser transmission hologram with moving subject.

Exhibited in October 2010 at the Deja Vu Exhibition of Holographic Art and Stereoscopic 3D, Vancouver, Canada.

In the collection of Al Razutis and located in Saturna Island, Canada.

For purchase of this work contact alrazutis@ymail.com

For 2013-2014 works by Al Razutis in motion-picture holographic cinema visit the stereoscopic 3D page Selected Holographics presented in Stereoscopic 3D

Visual Alchemy - Solo and Touring Exhibition of holograhic Art by Al Razutis 1977-1978

Installed in exhibitions in Burnaby, Ottawa, and 7 cities across Canada 1977, with final exhibition in Seattle 1978, USA

Visual Alchemy - Complete Exhibition List (Inaugural show catalog)

Visual Alchemy - Exhibition Press Release (March 9, 1977)

"Since 1972 Al Razutis has been working independently on a program dealing with the creation of three dimensional imagery via laser holographic techniques. An operational holographic laboratory was built by Razutis in which he has carried out holographic works with the intention of developing the media into an art form. Art and technology are explored as alchemical processes. The exhibition concerns itself with holography as sculpture and art rather than topical perceptual gimics or media novelties."

Visual Alchemy - Alternate Poster by A.R.(March 9, 1977)

Sample news article 1977

Example works by Al Razutis for VISUAL ALCHEMY
Solo -- Touring Holographic Art Exhibition 1977:

'NEWTONIAN GALACTIC ASSEMBLY LINE'- 1974-75:

Al Razutis, 1975
48" x 60" x 4" wall piece / floor piece
36 Silver Halide Reflection Holograms Mosaic
Created by Al Razutis @ Visual Alchemy, Canada
On Exhibit at 'Visual Alchemy' touring 1977-1978

2010 - Exhibition Photos of Newtonian

Newtonian Galactic Assembly Line - October 2010 at Deja Vu Vancouver, Canada.

Complete credits and selected exhibitions list for this work.

"NEWTONIAN GALACTIC ASSEMBLY LINE was originally conceived as a 'floor piece' to be exhibited horizontally and upon which people could walk. This proved to be not practical and the piece was finalized as a 4 foot x 5 foot wall piece and internationally exhibited as a wall piece. The idea for creating a mosaic of alternating ortho and pseudo views of the same subject came from pictures of galaxies where one would imagine 'invisible forces' connected all things. The work is best seen interactively, with the viewer moving about to see the sea anemone-like interactions between adjoining images. Alternatively, the piece can be illuminated by moving lights. The 'newtonian galactic assembly line' title refers to Newtonian mechanics as an interlocking 'gear universe' that is transformed to light interacting shapes that are holographic, and therefore not physically 'solid'. A surrealist magic carpet." (Al Razutis)

This work is in the personal collection of the artist and located on Saturna Island, BC, Canada.

See Holograms for Sale page for more photos and information on this work (including stereo 3D photos)

For purchase of this work contact alrazutis@ymail.com

'PRIMA MATERIA (INVISIBLE SECTION)'- 1975

PRIMA MATERIA (INVISIBLE SECTION) - 1974-75
Reflection hologram collage on film, resin, glass, brass -- 36" x 36" x 4"
Collage/layers of holograms, laminated in clear epoxy, on glass and mirror.
Text etched on glass (1975) - text will appear in 1979 'Notes on the Art of Holography'
by Razutis for Franklin Institute catalog 'New Spaces' exhibition.

2020 illustrated essay on Alchemy and Prima Materia: 'Alchemy, visual alchemy and their respective arts'

PRIMA MATERIA (INVISIBLE SECTION) is in the personal collection of the artist.
The inscription on glass starts with: "Mimesis, the imitation of reality is a well-known beginning...".
This work was seriously damaged when on-loan to a new Montreal gallery in the 1980's
It is currently located on Saturna Island, BC, Canada.

'RAINFOREST' - 1974:

RAINFOREST- 1974
3-plate (11 x 14 in.) transmission hologram sculpture

RAINFOREST, originally exhibited at Visual Alchemy travelling exhibition 1977-78,
purchased by Museum of Holography, New York, this work is in collection of MIT - holography collection,
NOTE: 'this work has been damaged / destroyed':
two of the three holograms are listed in MIT catalog as 'empty' / 'clear', meaning they have been 'erased'.

RELATED: See current Touch Me & Touch Me Not holographic art works for related themes in intersecting planes and content in holographic art.

'AUTOPORTRAIT' - 1974:

'AUTOPORTAIT' 1974
White light reflection hologram


'AUTOPORTAIT - Installation View - Burnaby Art Gallery 1977
(this work is lost / destroyed circa 1994.)

2020 illustrated essay on Alchemy and Autoportrait holograms: 'Alchemy, visual alchemy and their respective arts'

'AUTOPORTRAIT' - SUNDIAL & MORTUARY - 1974-1976:

AUTOPORTRAIT - SUNDIAL - 1974/76
White-Light Reflection Hologram
Marble stone pedestal with inscription
Hologram is in the collection of the artist

Individual 'AUTOPORTRAIT - SUNDIAL', and 'AUTOPORTRAIT - MORTUARY' holograms are lost
One single original (silver halide) WLR hologram remains - collection of the artist.
The black marble pedestal is in a separate private collection.

'INCLINE / STRESSED / PLANE' - 1975

INCLINE / STRESSED / PLANE - 1975
Laser transmission interferometric hologram on film
180 degree cylinder - 12" x 32" film strip

INCLINED / STRESSED / PLANE hologram (1974) - 12" x 27" in flat formatis available for exhibition.

A second version (multi-color rainbow hologram) of this subject titled 'INCLINE' was created in Fringe Research, Toronto during a Artist in Residency by Al Razutis.

PRESENT CONDITION: The original 1975 hologram is slightly scratched but intact and stored at VISUAL ALCHEMY STUDIO Saturna, Canada. For later work (INCLINE) the interferometric transmission hologram (strip) masters are stored at Visual Alchemy - they were returned to the artist in 2018.

'SURROGATE'- 1974

SURROGATE - 1974
White-Light Reflection Holograms (Silver Halide) Visual Alchemy Studio view 1974
Presented at Visual Alchemy Exhibition
Original Holograms replaced in 1984 with NEW VOGUE version.

SURROGATE DRESSED FOR ART NEW VOGUE - 1984

SURROGATE DRESSED FOR ART NEW VOGUE - 1984

Dichromate Reflection Holograms
Produced at Holocrafts, Delta, Canada
Presented at Wavefront Exhibition 1985

Holographic Technique Employed:

Double-exposed (in two states superimposed) interferograms in dichromate produced with double-exposed CW laser illumination. Two distinct states in time recorded as induced contour patterns of interference fringes of surface displacement on model.

Background:

The 1984 interferometric dichromate holograms (face, breast) replaced the original Silver Halide reflection holograms created in 1974-76 by Al Razutis at Visual Alchemy, Vancouver. Both the manequin and recording process were 'dressed up' for 'art in the 80's': "Make-up with stress lines for Art New Vogue and the latest styles of fashionable virtual reality & holography. " (A.R.)

SURROGATE DRESSED FOR ART NEW VOGUE Exhibited in October 2010 at the Deja Vu Exhibition>
of Holographic Art and Stereoscopic 3D, Vancouver, Canada.

Put on your anaglyph (red - cyan) stereo 3D glasses to view spatially.

To purchase this work contact alrazutis@ymail.com

Al Razutis presents his Hybrid works - 3 min. video on YouTube in STEREO 3D - With Gary Cullen:

Texts: 'SURROGATE' and Sculptural Hybrid Holography

Complete credits and selected exhibitions lists:
Surrogate 1974 and Surrogate Dressed for Art New Vogue) 1984 / 2010

'AETHER VANE' - 1974

"Reconstruction of a turn of the last century primitive device for measuring universal Ether,
with a nod to Michaelson & Morley."; (A.R.)

AETHER VANE I - 1974
White-Light Reflection Holograms (Silver Halide) -- Exhibition photo (with cobwebs) 1977
Visual Alchemy Exhibition, Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby Canada (and traveling shows)

AETHER VANE 2 - 1984

Original 1974 holograms replaced in 1984 with Dichromate Gelatin versions - produced with Gary Cullen at Holocrafts, Canada

AETHER VANE II - 2010 Photo
White-Light Reflection Hologram (DCG) on Film
On exhibit at 'Deja Vu'> 2010 exhibition, Vancouver, Canada with Dichromate Gelatin versions produced with Gary Cullen at Holocrafts, Delta, Canada.
AETHER VANE (restored 2010) is in the collection of the artist and located in Saturna Island, BC, Canada.

Complete credits and Exhibitions list for this work.

Razutis letter to Anna MacArthur on the meanings of the work

AETHER VANE IN STEREO 3D VIDEO ON YOUTUBE
Al Razutis presents his Hybrid works
3 min. excerpt on YouTube STEREO 3D - With Gary Cullen

'CHAIN LINK' (CURTAIN) - 1974/76:

CHAIN LINK (CURTAIN) - 1974/76
White-Light Reflection Holograms (64) Assemblage

CHAIN LINK, alternatinv 4" x 5" real and virtual image white-light reflection (WLR) holograms
remains only in the form of isolated elements and in the personal collection of the artist and located on Saturna Island, BC, Canada.

'FLYPAPER (WITH HANDLE)' - 1974/76:

FLYPAPER WITH HANDLE
1974/76 - White-Light Reflection Holograms Assembly
Private Collection

FLYPAPER (WITH HANDLE) was damaged during 'LICHT/BLICKE' exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany and remains in a private collection (in damaged form).

VENETIAN BLIND - 1974

1970's EXHIBITION INSTALLATION VIEWS:

'VENETIAN BLIND'
Video frame - INSTALLATION VIEW
W-Lt Hologram (silver halide) Sculpture

'VENETIAN BLIND' SIDE VIEW
W-Lt Hologram (silver halide) Sculpture

(This work is lost, except for photo documentation)

A second VENETIAN BLIND - II (1985) was created using dichromate holograms (at Holocrafts, BC) and this work was purchased for permanent collection by Associates of Science and Technology for 'Images in Time and Space' exhibitiion. The present whereabouts of this piece is uknown.

Venetian Blind II Photos

Other holographic works on exhibition or display at VISUAL ALCHEMY

EXHIBITION VIEWS 1974 - 1977:

Camera Obscura - 1975

'Camera Obscura' 1975
W-Lt Hologram (silver halide) Sculpture
Utilizing sculptural-holo subject by>Catharine MacTavish.
(This work is lost, except for photo documentation)

'This Is Not A Spoon' - 1975

'This is not a spoon' 1974
W-Lt Reflection Hologram (silver halide - Denysiuk method) Sculpture
Created in collaboration with Catharine MacTavish
(This work is lost, except for photo documentation)

Holograms of Optical Elements - Holographic Optical Elements (HOE)

Three holographic art works which explore 'what is a hologram',   including the subject 'as optical element'.

Untitled - 1973

Reflection Hologram (silver halide) as HOE, set in black plexiglas
Wall piece 16" x 18"
This work is lost

Point Source - 1975

Two Reflection Holograms (silver halide) as HOE, set in plexi mirror
Wall piece 22" x 20"
In the collection of the artist

'Hologram of a Translucent Object' - 1975

Sculpture, photos, holograms by Al Razutis

'Hologram of a Translucent Object' 1975
Reflection Hologram (silver halide) and lens, mirror sculpture
(This work is lost, except for video photo documentation)

Visual Alchemy by Al Razutis - 1977 - 1978

These four pictured pieces are no longer in existence or damaged

'Visual Alchemy' 1977
Burnaby Art Gallery exhibition view
l to r: VENETIAN BLIND, NEWTONIAN ANAGRAPH,
AETHER VANE, FLYPAPER
(silver halide) Sculptures - mixed media

VISUAL ALCHEMY by Al Razutis

A holographic art traveling exhibition by Burnaby Art Gallery

Dressing the inaugural exhibition 'with cobwebs'

Al Razutis setting the exhibition foyer display with cobwebs and old instruments, as if to say 'everything is based on the old'
- Visual Alchemy exhibition, Burnaby Art Gallery, 1977.

VISUAL ALCHEMY - solo exhibition of holograms by Al Razutis
- catalog cover innaugural Burnaby B.C. show 1977

VISUAL ALCHEMY - final exhibition of holograms by Al Razutis
- invitation to Pacific Science Center Seattle, Washington show 1978
Click for enlarged view in separate window.

VISUAL ALCHEMY - EXHIBITION LIST OF HOLOGRAMS
(Inaugural show catalog)

VISUAL ALCHEMY - EXHIBITION PRESS RELEASE (March 9, 1977)

"Since 1972 Al Razutis has been working independently on a program dealing with the creation of three dimensional imagery via laser holographic techniques. An operational holographic laboratory was built by Razutis in which he has carried out holographic works with the intention of developing the media into an art form. Art and technology are explored as alchemical processes. The exhibition concerns itself with holography as sculpture and art rather than topical perceptual gimics or media novelties."

For all exhibited works see: Complete list of exhibited works - by Al Razutis (1974 - 2016)

For writings by Al Razutis on holography visit Critical and historical writings - Holography and Wavefront

The companion piece to
'Holographic Intentions' at Visual Alchemy ('Leaving Plato's Cave...')

and the necessary companion piece:   'What is a Hologram?' by studio collaborator Catharine MacTavish.



'What is a Hologram?' (html) by Catharine MacTavish - 2021
A historical, artistic and philosophical treatise on works by Canadian holography pioneer Catharine MacTavish.
Or, download PDF copy of this essay >>   'What is a Hologram?' (11 mB PDF)

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