# Jason Sapan

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**Jason Sapan**, also known as **Dr. Laser** [1] (pronounced Sāpăn; born 1950) is a holographer and actor who is the founder of [Holographic Studios](/source/Holographic_Studios), the world's oldest gallery of [holography](/source/Holography), located in the borough of [Manhattan](/source/Manhattan) in [New York City](/source/New_York_City). He is one of the pioneers of modern holography, and has also worked as an educator, recording engineer, artist, blogger,[2] and occasional actor. He has created portrait holograms of [Andy Warhol](/source/Andy_Warhol), President [Bill Clinton](/source/Bill_Clinton), [Isaac Asimov](/source/Isaac_Asimov),[3] NYC Mayor [Ed Koch](/source/Ed_Koch), Prime Minister [Edward Heath](/source/Edward_Heath), [Pierre Cardin](/source/Pierre_Cardin), [Sally Jessy Raphael](/source/Sally_Jessy_Raphael),[4] [John Kenneth Galbraith](/source/John_Kenneth_Galbraith), [Phyllis Diller](/source/Phyllis_Diller),[5] [Billy Idol](/source/Billy_Idol), [The Smothers Brothers](/source/The_Smothers_Brothers), [Phil Donahue](/source/Phil_Donahue), and [John Cage](/source/John_Cage). His corporate clientele include commissions for [Mitsubishi](/source/Mitsubishi), [AT&T](/source/AT%26T), [Tag Heuer](/source/Tag_Heuer), [Goodyear](/source/Goodyear_Tire_and_Rubber_Company), [IBM](/source/IBM) and [NYU Medical Center](/source/NYU_Medical_Center).

Sapan has lectured at the [School of the Visual Arts](/source/School_of_the_Visual_Arts) in NYC, [School of the Art Institute of Chicago](/source/School_of_the_Art_Institute_of_Chicago), [Ohio State University](/source/Ohio_State_University), [University of Vermont](/source/University_of_Vermont),[6] [City College of New York](/source/City_College_of_New_York), [New York University](/source/New_York_University),[7] and various other schools. He ran a Summer class at the [Interactive Telecommunications Program](/source/Interactive_Telecommunications_Program) (ITP) Grad School at [NYU](/source/NYU).[8] As an assistant professor, he created a class titled "Hologram Hacks" in the Fall 2015 semester [9] where students made holograms as an element of a project where the hologram served as a means to an end.

## Career

Sapan, also known as Dr. Laser, has been a professional holographer for over 40 years in New York City. His father was an [electrical engineer](/source/Electrical_engineer) who contracted for [Bell Laboratories](/source/Bell_Laboratories). He started getting interested in holography since his father would work with [lasers](/source/Lasers) and holograms. [10] His career began in 1968 working at the first exhibition of [holography](/source/Holography) (created by [Bell Labs](/source/Bell_Labs)) at the Time Life building in New York City. He is best known for his holographic portraiture and laser special effects.

Before founding Holographic Studios in 1979, Sapan worked as an assistant recording engineer at [Record Plant](/source/Record_Plant) Studios in New York City, at a time when they were recording with [John Lennon](/source/John_Lennon) and [Yoko Ono](/source/Yoko_Ono), [Alice Cooper](/source/Alice_Cooper), Dizzy Gilespie, [B.B. King](/source/B.B._King), [Stevie Wonder](/source/Stevie_Wonder), [Tammy Wynette](/source/Tammy_Wynette), [George Jackson](/source/George_Jackson_(songwriter)), [Roberta Flack](/source/Roberta_Flack), [Eugene Ormandy](/source/Eugene_Ormandy) and the [Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra](/source/Philadelphia_Philharmonic_Orchestra).[11]

Sapan produced the laser light effects for the original [Studio 54](/source/Studio_54) on CBS, the [Flock of Seagulls](/source/Flock_of_Seagulls) music video, *[(It’s Not Me) Talking](/source/Talking_(A_Flock_of_Seagulls_song))*, also appearing in the video, and the cult film, *[Class of Nuke 'Em High](/source/Class_of_Nuke_'Em_High)*. He also served as a consultant for the film [Vanilla Sky](/source/Vanilla_Sky),[4] and did laser effects for the [ABC Weekend Special](/source/ABC_Weekend_Special), Jeeter Mason and the Magic Headset.[12] He became a member of the Editorial Board of the Lohud Exchange of the [Journal News](/source/The_Journal_News) in 2016.[13]

## Personal life

Sapan is married and has two children. They live in [Westchester County, New York](/source/Westchester_County,_New_York). He also has a residence in [Hawaii](/source/Hawaii).[14]

## Exhibitions

- 1977, "Holo-Fame", [Museum of Holography](/source/Museum_of_Holography), [New York City](/source/New_York_City), US
- 1980, Avant Garde Festival, Pier 92, New York City, US
- 1982, "The Wreath" , Armory Gallery, [Central Park](/source/Central_Park), New York City, US
- 1987, "Holograms", Gotham Fine Arts Gallery, New York City, US
- 2005, "Translating Solids: The Holographic Image", Hopkins Hall Gallery, [Ohio State University](/source/Ohio_State_University), [Columbus, Ohio](/source/Columbus,_Ohio), US[15]
- 2010, "Light From The Shore", Solarium Gallery, Knox School, [St. James, New York](/source/St._James,_New_York), US[16]
- 2012, "Green | Red", Brooklyn Arts Council (The Archway Under the [Manhattan Bridge](/source/Manhattan_Bridge)), [Brooklyn](/source/Brooklyn), New York, US[17]
- 2012, "Artypes: Portraits", PACS Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, US
- 2014, "Magical Art Tricking The Eye", [Hudson Guild](/source/Hudson_Guild) Gallery, New York City, US[18]
- 2014, "NYC Makers", MAD Biennial, [New York City](/source/New_York_City), NY, USA[19]

## References

1. ["Inside Dr. Laser's Holographic Studios"](https://www.thirteen.org/metrofocus/2020/01/inside-dr-lasers-holographic-studios/). 15 January 2020.

1. ["Jason Sapan"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150417023511/http://exchange.lohudblogs.com/archives/author/jason-sapan). *lohudblogs.com*. Archived from [the original](http://exchange.lohudblogs.com/archives/author/jason-sapan) on 2015-04-17.

1. ["Hologram History"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140926052035/http://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/travel/Hologram-History/2014/09/21/article2439359.ece). *The New Indian Express*. Archived from [the original](http://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/travel/Hologram-History/2014/09/21/article2439359.ece) on September 26, 2014.

1. Alex Pasternack (June 16, 2011). ["Doctor Laser: Inside the wondrous lab of one of the world's last holographers"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150423030517/http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/06/15/motherboard.doctor.laser/). *cnn.com*. Archived from [the original](http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/06/15/motherboard.doctor.laser/) on April 23, 2015.

1. Mark Zemel (20 March 2014). ["Making Money: The Holographer"](http://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/making-money-the-holographer). *The New Yorker*

1. ["Speakers"](https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/107004/238555/?DB2-East). *Fearless Tech*

1. ["Smart Illusions with Dumb Stuff"](http://itp.nyu.edu/camp2014/session/33). *ITP Camp*

1. ["Making 3D Holograms with Lasers"](http://itp.nyu.edu/camp2015/session/34). *ITP Camp*

1. ["ITP Courses"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160423071321/http://www.teletechnophiliac.com/blog/itp-courses). *ITP Camp*. Archived from [the original](http://www.teletechnophiliac.com/blog/itp-courses) on 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2016-04-09.

1. Susan Cohen (January 15, 2016). ["Spotlight: Jason Arthur Sapan Makes Holograms at NYC's Only Holography Gallery"](https://www.6sqft.com/spotlight-jason-arthur-sapan-makes-holograms-at-nycs-only-holography-gallery/). *6sqft.com*. Retrieved December 7, 2024.

1. ["1991 – The Record Plant in Hollywood closes. Among…"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100616102230/http://www.thisdayinrock.com/index.php/general/1991-the-record-plant-in-hollywood-closes-among/). *thisdayinrock.com*. Archived from [the original](http://www.thisdayinrock.com/index.php/general/1991-the-record-plant-in-hollywood-closes-among/) on June 16, 2010.

1. ["ABC Weekend Specials: Jeeter Mason and the Magic Headset"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322832/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm). *IMDB*

1. ["Editorial Board"](http://www.lohud.com/story/opinion/2016/02/27/meet-new-community-editorial-board/80866236/). *lohud.com*

1. Lenore Skenazy (April 16, 2007). ["Captured in Time"](https://www.nysun.com/article/new-york-captured-in-time). *[The New York Sun](/source/The_New_York_Sun)*. Retrieved December 5, 2024.

1. ["Translating Solids"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150412002522/http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~kagan/holo_show05/cat_holo_28Feb.pdf). Archived from [the original](http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~kagan/holo_show05/cat_holo_28Feb.pdf) on 2015-04-12.

1. ["Solarium Gallery"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304082652/http://www.knoxschool.org/page.cfm?p=508). *The Knox School*. Archived from [the original](http://www.knoxschool.org/page.cfm?p=508) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-04-24.

1. ["New York Weekly Update"](http://artcards.cc/newyork/issue/615-2012-05-01.html). *Artcards.cc*

1. [\[1\]](https://web.archive.org/web/20160315013346/http://hudsonguild.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Magical-Art-Announcement.pdf)

1. ["The MAD Biennial"](http://madmuseum.org/exhibition/nyc-makers). *NYC Makers*

## External links

- [Sapan's lecture on history of holography](https://gizmodo.com/light-waves-and-lasers-a-short-narrated-history-of-hol-1325406631)
- [A short documentary by Motherboard and Pam Tietze: "Dr Laser"](https://www.vice.com/en/article/motherboard-tv-doctor-laser/)
- [Big Story.com/stories/the-last-hologram-maker CNN - Great Big Story: Holograms Are Still Cool (According To The Expert)](http://www.Great)
- [New York Times article on Holographic Studios](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/nyregion/holographic-studios-and-kalustyans-cafe-in-kips-bay.html?)
- [The Daily Beast article on Holographic Studios](http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/05/27/new-york-s-holograph-king-is-also-the-city-s-last-holographer.html)
- [Atlas Obscura page on Holographic Studios](http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/holographic-studios-inc\)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jason Sapan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Sapan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Sapan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.