Art has always been about pushing boundaries—finding fresh ways to capture reality, emotion, and imagination. From the cave paintings of our ancestors to the sweeping oil masterpieces of the Renaissance and the bold digital installations of today, artists have constantly sought new tools to expand the way we see and feel the world.
One of the most intriguing trends in contemporary art is the use of transparent layers—materials like Plexiglas—to create works that have real, physical depth. By painting on multiple sheets of acrylic, artists transform flat images into layered, almost sculptural creations that play with light and perspective. These pieces blur the line between painting and installation, making the viewer feel as though they are stepping into the artwork rather than simply looking at it.
But now, thanks to an innovative collaboration between science and art, these layered works are being taken one step further. Researchers have developed a way to transform such paintings into full-color, three-dimensional holograms—immersive creations that preserve the artist’s vision while opening entirely new possibilities for experiencing and safeguarding art.
From Layers of Paint to Beams of Light
The inspiration for this breakthrough came from Colombian artist Yosman Botero, known for his experimental approach to painting. His work Taxonomy Test 1 features a tiger depicted across nine transparent acrylic sheets, each carefully painted with acrylic pigments. Viewed together, the sheets create an illusion of depth, as though the tiger were emerging from within the layers.
To bring this artwork into the realm of holography, scientists began by digitizing each painted sheet using high-resolution photography. Every layer was then imported into a 3D computer graphics program, where researchers meticulously reconstructed the spatial arrangement of the original work. In effect, they built a digital twin of Botero’s multilayered painting.
A virtual camera was then programmed to capture thousands of snapshots from different angles, covering a 60-degree viewing arc. These snapshots represented how the layered painting would look from various perspectives—similar to how our eyes perceive depth when we move around an object.
Finally, the images were processed through a CHIMERA holoprinter, a cutting-edge device capable of encoding visual data onto a silver halide plate. The result? A vibrant, full-color hologram that preserves the original artwork’s depth and realism, but now allows viewers to experience it as though it were suspended in three-dimensional space.
Why This Matters: Preserving and Sharing Art
At first glance, this achievement may sound like a clever trick—turning a painting into a hologram for novelty’s sake. But the implications are far deeper, especially for museums, galleries, and cultural preservation.
Multilayer artworks, while beautiful, are notoriously difficult to protect. Each acrylic sheet can respond differently to temperature, humidity, and light, which means keeping them in pristine condition over decades is a delicate challenge. A holographic reproduction, however, offers a faithful representation that can withstand time and environmental stress far better than fragile materials.
Moreover, holograms can make art more accessible. A museum in one city could display holographic reproductions of works housed halfway across the world, giving visitors an experience that feels far more authentic than a flat photograph. For galleries with limited space, holograms also offer a clever workaround—allowing large or fragile works to be shared without the logistical difficulties of transportation and installation.
A Continuation of an Old Tradition
While this technology feels futuristic, it is also part of a much older story: the human quest to capture depth and perspective. During the Renaissance, artists like Filippo Brunelleschi pioneered linear perspective, revolutionizing the way space and dimension were represented on canvas. What was once a flat surface suddenly opened into worlds with roads that stretched into the distance, buildings that receded naturally, and figures that occupied believable spaces.
This new fusion of holography and painting can be seen as a continuation of that legacy. Just as perspective transformed flat art into something that seemed alive and dimensional, holograms take that vision further by creating experiences that are not only lifelike but interactive—changing as the viewer moves.
In many ways, this research is less about replacing traditional art and more about reimagining perception, continuing humanity’s long tradition of expanding how we see.
The Future of Holographic Art
The possibilities of this technology stretch beyond museums and galleries. Imagine an art classroom where students can study holographic reproductions of famous works, walking around them and viewing them from every angle. Imagine collectors who can enjoy holograms of delicate, priceless pieces without risk of damage. Even in public spaces—airports, hospitals, schools—holographic artworks could provide immersive cultural experiences where traditional art installations are impractical.
Looking further ahead, one can imagine artists themselves embracing holography as a medium. Rather than simply converting physical works, artists could design holographic creations from the ground up—paintings made of light and perspective, shifting with the movement of viewers in ways impossible on canvas or acrylic.
Where Science Meets Wonder
This marriage of advanced optics and artistic vision highlights something profound: science and art are not opposites, but companions. Both seek to deepen our understanding of reality, to reveal truths that lie just beyond our ordinary perception. Where scientists use instruments and equations to explore the universe, artists use color, form, and imagination. Together, they can unlock entirely new dimensions of human experience.
The transformation of Botero’s tiger painting into a hologram is more than a technical achievement—it is a symbol of what becomes possible when creativity and discovery walk hand in hand. Just as the Renaissance fused art with mathematics to change the way humans saw the world, today’s innovations invite us to step into a future where art itself glows with light, depth, and motion.
Conclusion: A New Way of Seeing
Art is never static. It evolves with culture, with technology, and with imagination. The creation of holograms from multilayer acrylic paintings is a glimpse into how future generations might experience art—not just as something to look at, but as something to step into.
For now, these luminous holograms serve as both preservation tools and portals of wonder, offering us new ways to connect with creativity. But more importantly, they remind us that at the intersection of science and art lies one of humanity’s greatest gifts: the ability to see the world differently, and in doing so, to see ourselves anew.
More information: From plexiglass to hologram: A path for layered artworks, Royal Society Open Science (2025). DOI: 10.1098/rsos.250874. royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.250874
