Silver before Photography

Holography is a form of photography, in the most general meaning of the term. In imagining our own history of holography, we looked to photography and its origins.

This exhibition explores the pre-photographic use of silver-based chemistry and its relationship to the development of holographic processes. By tracing these historical connections, we question assumptions about technological progress and representation.

The works presented examine how early experiments with light-sensitive materials prefigure contemporary holographic practice, creating a dialogue between past and present approaches to capturing and presenting three-dimensional space. They include both holograms and a daguerreotype of the same antique silver jug, made before the invention of photography.