top of page
Additional information: Rob Munday began his holographic career working with artists Edwina Orr and David Traynor at Richmond Holographic Studios (RHS) in 1983. In 1984, RHS was granted two two-day shoots at the pulsed laser studio of John Webster and Chris Mead at Southampton University to record a series of holographic artworks. Rob, whos ambition had been to make holograms of animals, chose to shoot and create a series of holograms of a Peregrine Falcon and two Lion Cubs, perhaps the first animals to be recorded for the purposes of creating reflection hologram copies (it is believed that the very few holograms of living animals made before this date are laser transmission holograms only). He also recorded a self-portrait, his first portrait hologram, the master of which is owned by Edwina Orr.
In 1985, Rob was invited to join Peter Miller as one of only two permanent founding members of staff of the Royal College of Art's Holography Unit and post-graduate degree in creative holography, the first of its kind in the world. External consultation was provided by Prof Nick Phillips and Graham Saxby, who were both contacted as part-time visiting lecturers. Rob's first task was to design, build, and operate a dedicated pulsed-laser holographic portrait studio, the first dedicated holographic portrait studio outside of the USA. Prof Nick Phillips offered his advice primarily in the area of processing formulas.
In 1991, Rob Munday left the Royal College of Art to operate his own private creative holography studio full-time, and soon after purchased the 10-joule ruby pulsed laser of John Webster, one of the first ever built by JK Lasers. At this time the laser in question was being operated by a commercial company named Holoscan in which John Webster held shares. Holoscan however had gone bankrupt and Rob was able to acquire its assets which included the pulsed laser, an 800 mm diameter collimating mirror, and an argon laser. The price paid of £35,000 represented Rob's entire savings from working for six years at the Royal College of Art and working almost every night, sometimes until 3 - 4 a.m., and at weekends, making holograms in his home studio that would be sold to galleries around the world.
Throughout the 80's, 90's and 00's Rob worked as a creative holographer and artist, firstly in the garage of a rented house in Feltham, then in his living room at 39 Pyrcroft Road, Chertsey, Surrey, then in a rented workshop in the back garden of 8 Weatash Road, Surrey, and finally in the vacated studios of his previous employer Richmond Holographic Studios in Richmond-upon-Thames, Surrey, which he took over in 1994, where he shot and created numerous pulsed laser holographic portraits, many of famous people, as well as pulsed laser holograms of animals, commercial subjects, and the world's largest single exposure hologram.
2024, Rob's ruby pulsed laser is currently at his studio in France awaiting a refurbishment (2024).
bottom of page