Harriet Silver - The Death of Pioneer in Art Holography
12 03 2008
Harriet Casdin-Silver Dies
(Feb 10, 1925- Mar 10, 2008)
Harriet Cadin Siver (1925-2008) passed away unexpectedly of pneumonia on Monday, March 10, 2008. Harriet was truly a world pioneer in the art holography.
Harriet Casdin-Silver was perhaps the world’s leading exponent of holography, having developed technical skills and aesthetic applications unparalleled in the field. Harriet Casdin-Silver was a pioneer of art holography in the United States and was an important figure in the development of installation art and technological art in the 1960s. Casdin-Silver’s work was internationally recognized and has been exhibited for over 25 years in museums, galleries, and universities through the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Casdin-Silver was the first artist to develop frontal-projection holograms, the first to explore white light transmission multi-colored holograms, and the first to exhibit outdoor, solar-tracked holograms.
Casdin-Silver began her artistic career in the 1960s as a painter and quickly moved into multi-media and technological images. In 1968, she made her first holograms, becoming one of the first artists to work in this media. Casdin-Silver’s early work focused on both abstract and object-based images; by the late 1970s, Casdin-Silver began exploring the human figure, in particular the female body. At the same time, the artist began to combine holography with other media to create installation pieces. More recently, Casdin-Silver’s work focuses on the issues of feminism, the human form, the aging process, death, and issues of identity.
May Her Soul Rest in Peace
I just happened on the news of Ms. Casdin-Silvers’ passing, much to my regret. In the late ’70’s or early ’80’s (I’d have to look to be sure) I enrolled in a course through Tufft’s University but held at the CASVA at MIT titled “The Art of Holography” taught by Harriet. I took the course on a whim because years earlier I had seen a hologram of a bust of Alfred Hitchcock somewhere and was fascinated by the image. Although the class was only a few weeks long, meeting and being instructed by Harriet made a life lasting impression on me. Her energy and dedication to her art fired my immagination and I recall long conversations with her about the direction holograms would take in the future. I remember seeing my first white light hologram on a credit card, and wondered what Harriet thought about that. In all of our conversations about the “art” I don’t recall commerce being part of the equation. Anyway, I just wanted to express my condolences to her family and friends and this was the first site that I found that would allow me to do that. It may not be the right place but it’s what I found. She was Absolutley Fabulous. Rick Joyce P.S. I think I have some snapshots from that time. If I can find them and anyone wants to see them e mail me.