Photographic light projections and pre-recorded sound effects enhance the simulation. Ms. Connors is one of only a handful of artists worldwide to combine holograms with computerized tools to manipulate the imagery in her work. LightForest is a companion installation to the MIT Museum's popular holography exhibition which opened in March 1994. Three years ago, the Museum acquired at auction the entire collection of the former Museum of Holography in New York, the largest and most important collection of holograms in the world. With the move of the collection to MIT and the groundbreaking work in holography being done by the Media Lab's Spatial Imaging Group, the Boston area has become a new national center for holography.
Holographic images are the only true three-dimensional images being produced today.
In conjunction with LightForest, Ms. Connors is creating a holographic garden for the West Somerville Neighborhood School near her house, one of three Technology Magnet elementary schools in the state. Students from the Neighborhood School will visit the Museum's holography lab for further instruction. Ms. Connors, who has earned acclaim as both a photographer and a video artist, now works primarily in holography. With Stephen Benton, director of the Spatial Imaging Group and a pioneer in holography, she curated the permanent holography exhibition now on view at the MIT Museum. She also served as a consultant to the Museum in the creation of the new holography lab, and in designing an education program to make holography accessible to area school children.